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George  Washington  Flowers 

Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 

FAMILY  OF 

COLONEL   FLOWERS 

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OF 

MILITARY  RECOPAISSANOSS,. 
TEMPORARY    FORTIFICATION 

AND 

FOR  • 

SlF  MfflY^ffl  PIY... 

C'ONTAINING: 

1st.    Military  EEcoKNAiesAKCES ; 

2d.    Elements  of  Military  Topogkapiiy  ;  '  •   » 

3d.    Elements  of  Temporary  Fortification  ; 

4tu.    Partisan  Warfare. 


IRANSLATED  FROM  THE  FREXCII  OF 

BY 

JOHN  M.  RICHARDSON  J.  S.I 

LATELY 

MAJOR  OF  THE  21ST  REG'T  N.  C.  TROOPS,  C.  S.  A 

NOW,  PROFESSOR  OF  MATHEMATICS  IN  THE 

GEORGIA  MILITARY  INSTITUTE, 

MARIETTA,   GA. 

ATLANTA,  GEORGIA : 

J.  Mcpherson  &  co.,  publij-hers. 

1862. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1862,  by 

JOHN  M.  EICHAKDSON, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Northern  District  of  Georgia. 


Franklin  Steam  Printing  House,  Atlanta,  Ga.--J.  J,  Took  &  Co. 


CERTIFICATES. 


HEAD-QUAIITERS  SEVENTH  BRIGADE,    } 
AuMT  OF  Potomac,  Jan.  28, 1862.         \ 
Muj.  Jno.  M.  Richardson,  21st  North  Carolina  Reg't.,  Manassas  : 

Bir:— I  have  read  the  "Manual  of  Military  Reconnaissances  and 
Partisan  Warfare"  submitted  to  me,  ^yith  much  pleasure.  It  is  an  ex- 
cellent translation  of  the  valuable  work  of  General  LeLouterel,  and 
in  my  opinion  will  be  extensively  useful  in  the  Army  and  in  the  Con- 
federate States,  by  the  dissemination  of  the  true  principles  of  the  art 
of  war  amonar  the  junior  officers,  and  also  the  non-commissioned  offi- 
cers and  intelligent  privates  of  the  army,  and  to  those  who  may  hero- 
after  embrace  tiic  military  profession.  g*  .  , 
As  the  South,  to  maintain  her  nationality,  and  command  respect, 
must  become  a  military  people,  too  much  attention  cannot  be  bestowed 
on  good  elementary  and  general  treatises  on  militjiry  subjects. 

Works  of  this  character  are  more  extensively  useful  for  their  brevi- 
ty, like  the  one  you  have  compiled." 

Wishing  you  every  success, 
I  am  respectfully  and  truly 
Your  obH  servant, 

J.  K.  TRIIIBLE, 
Brig.  General. 


Majoi:  ntcnARi>t>ON  : — I  have  read  your  observations  on  the  subjecti 
of  Intrenched  Cami)?:.  and  find  them" to  contain  important  hints  and 
true  principles  for  defensive  arinies.  They  will  be  a  useful  chapter  in 
vonr  "  Memoir."  Yours  respcctfnlly,  <!c»6**^        j^i 

J.  R.  TRIMBLE, 


MtinansdS.  J<ni.  2s/A.  istw. 


Brig.  General. 


Letter  from  Col.  Ji.  11.  Chilton  to  Mr.  J.  Morris,  Bookseller  and 
Publisher,  Richynond,  Va.,  relative ^to  the  ^^  Manual  of  Military 
Reconnaismnces,  Temporary  ForiifiGation  \nnd  Partisan  War- 
fere.'^ 

[copy.] 

RicnMONi>,  Va.,  March  7th,  1862. 
Sir:— I  have  read  the  manuscript  sent  herewith,  and  find  it  very  In- 
teresting.    While  full  enough  for  all  practical  purposes,  it  explainfl 
with  simplicity  and  clearness  enough  to  meet  ordmary  intelligence,  all 
the  an-angements  necessary  to  be  taken  by  the  field  engineer,  as  also 


IV  CERTIFICATES. 


the  important  duties  of  advanceil  posts  and  pickets.  Tho  book  may 
be  read  by  all  ■with  decided  advantasro,  and  its  grenoral  circulation 
vould  tend  jrreatly  to  aive  a  mure  intelligent  and  efllcient  tone  to  our 
army.  The  book  ought  to  sell  well,  e.'^pecially  if  put  into  a  convenient 
form  for  transportation,  and  at  such  a  price  as  would  induce  privates, 
as  well  as  officers,  to  purchase. 

I  am,  sir,  respectfully. 

Your  ob't  serv't, 

K.  n.  CHILTON,  A.  A.  G. 
To  Mr.  Morris,  Publisher  ,Pdchinond,  Ya. 


STATE  OF  GEORGIA,  1 

Adjutant  &  Inspector  Gkneral's  Office,  y 

MiLLEDGEViLLE  Ga  ,  April  3, 1SC2.      J 
Ma).  John  M,  Richardson^  Geo.  Military  Institute,  ilarietta,  Ga. 

Majok  : — I  have  examined  the  "  ^Manual"  carefuUj-,  and  it  gives  me 
pleasure  to  say,  that  it  is  well  adapted  to  the  purpose  designed,  and  a 
valuable  contribution  to  om-  military  publications.  If  closelj'  studied 
by  our  oflicers,  not  only  of  Infantrj^  and  Cavalry,  but  also  by  our  vol- 
xmteer  artillerists  and  staff,  we  will  have  an  intelligent  arm}-. 
Very  respectfully, 

Your  ob't  serv't, 

IIENKY  C.  WAYNE, 
Adjutant  &  Inspector  General. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


ALPHAr.ETICAL  INDEX. 

ARTICLE. 

AbaUis 109 

Advanced  Guards 120 

AtJiueuls 69 

Ambuscades 122 

Angles,  means  of  measuring 70 

Attack  of  Po.sls .' 12S 

Auxiliary  Defences 108 

i3alloon.? 69 

Basins 60 

Bank  Right 60 

T'.ank  Left 69 

Bastion  Fort 90 

Batteries lU 

Battle  of  Pultowa lU 

Boml)  Proofs 115 

Bridges 126 

Calouiation  of  Embankment  and  Excavation lOl 

Camps,  Intrenched 118 

Cantonments 117 

Chains  of  Mountains. 60 

Communications 12,  34 

Counterforts 69 

Confluents '. 69 

Coupures S2 

Considerations,  Military 14,  41 

Conclusion 130 

Defences,  Auxiliary 108 

Defiles 69 

Defilement  of  Works 03 

Description  of  Works 82 

Description,  Physical 7,  24 

Dispositions,  Military 16,4;j 


VI  CONTENTS. 

Details,  Historical IS,  57 

Definition  of  Topography G7 

Dimensions  of  Worlcs 82 

Distances,  Means  of  Measuring 70 

Emplacement  of  Works 93 

Embankment,  Calculation  of. 101 

Entrance  of  Work,  Method  of  Closing 103 

Epaulements S3 

Escorts 121 

Excavation,  Calculation  of 101 

Examining  Ground,  Manner  of 120 

Extract  from  Mahan 59 

Flanks 69 

Fleches 84 

Fort  P>astion 90 

Foraging   Parties 125 

Fords 126 

Form  of  Works 82 

Gaps 69 

Geographical  Terms  used  in  Topography 69 

General  Principles  of  Partisan  Warfare 117 

Gorges 69 

Guards,  Advanced 120 

Guards,  Grand 119 

Ground,  Method   of  Examining 120 

Historical  Details 18,  57 

Houses Ill 

Indented  Line 88 

Intrenched  Camps 11,  61 

Itineraries • 78 

Left  Bank 69 

Line,  Indented 88 

liine.  Rogniat's 113 

Lunettes 86 

Mahan,  Extract  from 59 

Mamelons 69 

Manner  of  Examining  Ground 120 

Map 2 

Marauds,  Organized 124 

Maxims  of  Napoleon '..... 129 

Means  for  Measuring  Distances,  Angles,  Slopes 70 

Memoir 2 

Methods  of  Closing  Entrance  of  Works 103 

Military  Considerations 14,  41 

Military  Dispositions 16,  43 

Military  Reconnaissances,  Objects  of. 1 

Military  Memoir,  Model  of. 19 

Mure.: S9 

Mountains,  Chains  of. 69 


CONTENTS.  VII 

Mouths  of  Rivers (39 

Napoleon,  Maxims  of. 129 

Observation 5S,1 16 

Orders 5,  21 

Organized  Mjirauds 124 

Palisades .* no 

Patrols 123 

Parties,  Foraging i 125 

Partisan  Warfare,  General  Principles  of 117 

Physical   Description 7,  21 

Poks,  Picket » 119 

Posts,  Attack  of. ]2S 

Priest   Cap • 89 

Proofs,  Bomb -.115 

Pultowa,  Battle  of , 113 

Reconnaissances,   Military .- 1 

Redans • g5 

Redoubts ■ 87 

Rivers,  MQUlhs  of. 69 

Rivers,  Right  Bank  of.; 69 

Rivers,  Left  Bank  of. 69 

ilogniat's  Line ." 113 

Roads 126 

Sentinels 119 

Slopes,  Means  of  Measuring '70 

Statistics.. .;. 9,  29 

Surprises 127 

Thalweg 69 

Topography,  Definition  o.'. 67 

Topography,  Utility  of. .* *  67 

Topographical  Terms.. 69 

Trace   of  Works. 9S 

Utility  of  Topography 67 

Valleys 69 

^"al!ons 69 

Vedettes 119 

Villages 112 

Vv'^orks,  Description  of. 82 


VI II  roNTENTS. 

ANALYTICAL  TABLE  OF   CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

RECONNAISSANCES. 

ARTICLE. 

Object  of  IMililary  Reconnai.s.sancos 1 

Map  and  Memoir. 2 

Orders. •'> 

Phy.sical  Dcscriplion 7 

Statistics ^    !> 

CoinmunicatioiTS .'  Vi 

Military  Considerations*. 14 

Military  Dispositions ^ 10 

Historical  Details * IS 

Model  of  a  I^'^ilitary  Memoir.'.* 19 

Ohser-v'ation •> .  08 

Rxtracil  from  Mahan 09 

CHAPTER  II. 

IMILITARY    TOPOGRAIMIY. 

Deiinition    and  Utility .,.* 67 

Geographical  Terms  used  in  Topography 69 

Chains  of  Mountains - , r>9 

Ba'Uons  ', .09 

Flank? r  09 

Counterfprts 69 

Mamelon.«( , 69 

Gaps '...  69 

Gorges r. T 69 

Defiles : 09 

Valleys 69 

Vallons 69 

Basins , ^.. 09 

Thalweg ; G9 

Aftluenis 69 

Confluents 69 

Mouths  of  Rivers '. 69 

Right  Bank 69 

Left  Bank 69 

Simple  Means  for  Measuring  Distances  ( ^.j 

Slopes,  and  Angles  \ 

Itineraries 7s 

CHAPTER  III. 

.       KLEaiENTS  ^OF   TEMPOKAKY   r0RTIl'.U.:A'n0^4».  ■      • 

Description,  Form  and  Dimensions  of  Works 82 

Coupures 8'^ 


CONTENTS.  IX 

EpaulenuMUs 63 

Fleches 84 

Redans b5 

Lunettes ,..,"....   86 

Redoubts 87 

Indented    Line - 88 

jMilre,  or  Priest  Caj) .• .- 89 

Bastion  Fort 90 

Emplacement  and  Defiiemenl  of  Works 93 

Trace  of  Works 98 

Calculation  of  Embankment  and  Excavation ..101 

Methods  of  Closing  the  Entrance  of  a  Work 103 

Auxiliary  Defences ; 108 

Abattis  ...109 

J^alisades  110 

Houses ■ Ill 

Villages 112 

Rogniat's    Line 113 

T3;ui!e   of  Pultowa 113 

Batteries 114 

Bomb  Proof...' 115 

Observation 110 

Intrenched  Camps IIG 

CHAPTER  IV. 

PARTISAN  WAKFAKE. 

General    Principles 117 

Cantonments 118 

Grand  Guards 119 

Picket.  Posts 1 19 

Sentinels 119 

Vedettes 119 

Advanced  Guards 120 

Manner  of  Examining  the  Ground 120 

Escorts 121 

Ambuscades 122 

Patrols 1 23 

Organized  Marauds 124 

Foraging   Parties 125 

Roads  .  r 1 26 

Bridges '. '. 126 

Fords 126 

Surprises 127 

Attack  of  Posts 12b. 

Maxims  of  Napoleon .• 129 

Conclusion 130 


PREFACE 


Gen  LeLoulcrers  Avork,  (4th  edition,  Paris,  1850),  of 
which  this  is,  in  the  main,  a  translation,  consists  of  live 
parts,  viz  :  !<>  Un  aperou  des  Reconnaissances  niilitaires  ; 
2o  Des  notions  iudispensables  de  Geometrie ;  3'j  i>es  ele- 
ments de  Topogiaphie  militarie;  4o  Des  elements  de  For- 
tification passogerc ;  5o  Des  donnees  sur  Fart  de  la  petite 
guerre,  ou  Guerre  des  postes. 

The  first,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  questions,  is  trans- 
lated in  full ;  some  additions  have  also  been  made :  tha 
second  is  omitted  altoge'thcr:  the  third  is  given  only  in  part/ 
though  many  important  additions  have  been  made  to  the 
portion  translated :  the  fourth  is  given  in  full,  but  greatly 
enlarged :  so  also  the  fifth. 

In  preparing  this  little  %rork,  Mahan,  Jebb,  Brabazon  and 
Du  Four  have  been  consulted ;  the  article  on  Intrenched 
Camps  is  chiefly  from  Du  Four, 

Tire  chapter  on  Temporary  Fortifications  is  not  as  exten- 
sive as  Mahan's  Field  Fortification,  nor  is  it  intended  to 
supercede  that  A'aluable  work  in  the  hands  of  professional 
engineers  ;  brief,  clear  and  easily  comprehended,  it  con- 
tains all  that  is  necessary  for  infantry  and  cavalry  officers, 
and,  in  an  article  on  Intrenched  Camps,  supplies  a  serious 
deficiency  in  Mahan's  treatise. 

The  chapters  on  Reconnaissances,  Topography  and  Parti- 
san Warfare,  are  regarded  as  superior  to  Mahan's  Out-Post 
Duty,  &c.,  because  briefer,  clearer,  more  explicit,  better 
arranged,  and  not  clouded  by  wordy  flights.  There  is  a 
vagueness,  a  cloudy  indefiniteness,  about  this  little  work  by 
Mahan,  which  greatly  obscures  what  is  really  valuable  in  it. 
Nevertheless,  it  is  a  useful  little  book,  and  worthy  of  being' 
in  every  junior  officer's  library. 

This  "  Manual"  gives  to  infantry  and  cavalry  officers,  and 
to  Intelligent  non-commissioned,  officers  and  privates,  all 


XII  PREFACE. 

the  essential  information,  which  Mahan  attempts  to  deal  out 
in  tvro  volumes;  and,  it  is  no  dicparagenicnt  to  Mahan,  nor 
undeserved  praise  to  Le  Loutcrel,  to  say,  that  this  work,  in 
all  that  it  aspires  to,  is  superior  to  Mahan's.  It  is  but 
justice  to  Mahan,  however,  to  say,  that  he  is  unhesitatingly 
quoted  in  several  important  jiarticulars  in  the  following 
pages,  as  the  reader  will  sec  for  himself. 

It  will  be  as  useless  as  tedious  for  the  translator  to  point 
out  the  various  additions  he  has  m.ade  to  Gen.  Le  Loutcrel's 
work ;  what  he  has  done,  has  been  attempted  in  the  spirit 
of  the  original. 

To  Sergeant-Major  Fole,  of  the  21st  Rcgt.  N.  C.  T.,  I  am 
under  obligations  for  assistance  in  copying  the  drawings. 
JNO.  M.  RICHARDSON. 

Camp  Martin,  near  Manassas,  Va.,  Jan.  30tu,  1S6'3. 


Georgia  Military  Institute,      ) 
October,  1S62.         j" 

This  w^ork  would  have  appeared  some  time  ago,  had  it 
not  have  been  for  the  great  difficulty  experienced  in  getting 
engravings  executed,  and  for  some  unavoidable  dc]a3's  that 
have  occurred  in  the  press  Avork.  The  engravings  were  ex- 
ecuted by  amateurs^  and  on  ti/2^s  metal  plates.  The  style  of 
the  engravings  (the  lines  only  being  sunken),  and  the  cJiar- 
acter  of  the  metal,  give  rise  to  great  difllculties  in  printing 
Ahem,  and  it  is  trusted  that  this  explanation  will  be  a  suf- 
ficient apology  for  any  defects  in  the  impressions  of  the 
diagrams. 

To  Cadet  T.  F.  Barnum  I  am  indebted  for  much  zealous 
assistance  in  getting  the  engravings  finished.  The  small 
map  of  Sideville,  and  many  of  the  other  diagrams,  were  ex- 
ecuted by  him.  J.  M.  R. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Rceoniiai§»iaiic€>s. 


GENERAL     PRINCIPLES. 

1.  Military  Reconnaissances  have  two  distinct 
purposes  in  view  :  1°,  The  study  of  the  physical 
features  and  the  improvements  of  a  given  district, 
with  the  view  of  learning  its  peculiarities  of  hill  and 
dale,  field,  river  and  forest,  mountains,  passes,  roads, 
bridges,  fords,  buildings,  &c.,  and  their  relative  po- 
sitions; or,  in  technical  language,  the  topography 
of  the  district :  2°,  The  collection  of  the  statistics 
of  the  district,  showing  its  resources  in  men,  horses, 
wagons,  cattle,  grains,  forage,  <kc. 

Moreover,  a  reconnaissance  should  have  a  mili- 
tary object  in  view ;  that  is  to  say,  the  ofiicer  in 
charge  of  it  should  always  suppose  himself  in  the 
presence  of  the  enemy,  and,  accordingly,  indicate 
the  dispositions  to  be  taken  for  resisting  or  conquer- 
ing him  ;  point  out  what  places  must  be  held  to 
secure  his  retreat,  and  show  in  detail  how  each 
important  position  can  be  defended,  approached  and 
attacked. 

2.  Every  reconnaissance  gives  rise  to  a  military 
memoir,  (see  model  No.  19,  and  following,)  and 
when  possible. a  sketch  or  hastily  drawn  map  of  the 
country  examined  ;  but  when  the  sketch  cannot  be 
furnished,  the  memoir  should  be  so  clear  and  expli- 
cit that  we  may  dispense  with  the  sketch. 

3.  On  the  other  hand,  a  map,  however  well  exe- 
cuted, does  not  answer  the  requirements  of  a  mill 
tary  reconnaissance,  for  there  are  many  very  im- 

A 


MANUAL    i)V 

portarit  details  that  can  be  made  known  only  in 
writing.  A  memoir  and  a  sketch,  then,  are  the 
complements  of  each  other;  hut  a  good  memr»ir 
without  a  sketch,  is  always  more  useful  than  a 
sketch  without  a  memoir. 

4.  A  military  memoir  is  divided  into  seven  parts : 
1°  A  copy  of  the  order  in  virtue  of  which  the 

reconnaissance  is  executed ; 

2°  A  physical  description  of  the  district  exam- 
ined; 

3°  The  statistics  of  the  villages  and  hamlets 
which  it  includes ; 

4°  The  communications  which  traverse  oi- 
lead  into  it ; 

5°  Military  considerations  upon  its  offensive 
and  defensive  properties  ; 

6°  Military  dispositions  to  be  made  in  conse- 
quence of  the  order  received  ; 

7°  Historical  details  of  the  military  events, 
ancient  or  modern,  of  which  the  district  examined 
has  been  the  theatre. 

Orders. 

5.  Special  and  detailed  orders  should  be  given  t(» 
the  officer  charged  with  the  reconnaissance,  thr 
orders  emanating  from  the  proper  authority. 

6.  The  orders  should  be  clear,  precise  and  sufli- 
,ciently  detailed,  in  order  that  those  to  whom  they 
are  addressed  may  perfectly  comprehend  the  object 
of  their  mission.     (See  No.  21,  and  following.) 

Physical  Description. 

7..  This  should  include  a  statement  of  the  general 
configuration  of  the  ground,  showing  whether  it  is 
open  and  easy  of  access,   or  cut   up   by  ditches, 


MILITAKY    KECONNAISSANCES.  3 

I  lodges,  :ind  nvhIIs,  covered  with  forests  or  heaths, 
dry  or  iTicarshy. 

The  description  should  contain  also  the  exact  nr 
approximate  indication  of  the  maximum  and  mini- 
mum slopes  of  the  mountains,  their  height  and 
direction;  the  aspect  and  form  of  the  valleys  and 
••  vallons ;"'  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  ponds, 
lakes,  marshes  and  sheets  of  water  ;  the  volume, 
aspect  and  encasement  of  the  rivers,  creeks  and 
canals ;  the  variations  which  the  diiferent  seasons 
of  the  year  midergo  ;  the  nature  of  the  soil ;  what 
kinds  of  trees  grow  in  the  forests;  the  properties 
<  )f  the  air  and  water  relative  to  the  health  of  men  an<l 
animals;  the  kinds  and  qualities  of  liuiMiiiti  in.tt' - 
rials,  as  stone,  timber,  metals,  &c. 

S.  When  the  reconnaissance  is  made  in  a  mari- 
lime  country,  state  the  form  of  the  coast;  whether 
it  presents  downs  and  cliffs;  the  height  of  the  cliffs 
and  the  nature  of  the  rocks  composing  them ; 
whether  the  beach  is  marshy  or  covered  with  peb 
lUes ;  the  shore,  level  or  covered  with  ridges. 

Make  known  all  important  particulars  with  re- 
gard to  the  tides  and  prevailing  winds,  and  to  the 
temperature  at  different  seasons ;  the  creeks,  bays, 
roads  and  natural  ports :  the  points  of  landing  or 
of  refuge  for  maritime  and  river  navigation;  the 
l>anks  and  bars  found  along  the  coast,  or  at  the 
mouths  of  the  rivers. 

Statistics. 

I).  Describe,  in  the  first  place,  the  principal  im- 
provements in  the  district  reconnoitered ;  follow 
this  by  particulars  with  regard  to  the  height,  com- 
plexion, character,  manner  of  living  and  habits  of 
the  people,  and  their  elementary  instruction. 

10.  Describe  the  nature  of  the  cultivation  of  the 


4  MANUAL    or 

soil  and  the  productions ;  whetlier  they  are  suffi- 
cient, insufficient  or  superabundant  for  the  wants 
of  the  inhabitants  during  the  year ;  the  ratio  be- 
tween the  yield  and  the  seeding.  State,  also,  what 
obstacles  or  facilities  may  be  found,  in  the  civil 
administration  of  the  district  or  the  local  habits  af 
the  people,  in  applying  all  the  resources  to  the 
wants  of  troops  on  march  or  in  cantonment. 

11.  In  addition  to  this  statement  of  facts,  this 
article  should  be  terminated  by  a  numerical  table 
showinij;  the  amount  of  the  resources  of  every  kind. 
(See  No.  33.) 

Communications. 

12.  Gather  and  detail  all  possible  information 
with  regard  to  paved,  macadamized,  planked  and 
earthen  public  roads — also  railways,  canals,  neigh- 
borhood roads,  and  important  by-paths.  With  re- 
gard to  each  road,  state  its  width,  slopes  and  other 
accidents — the  length  and  width  of  the  defiles 
through  which  it  passes;  whether  bordered  by  trees, 
ditches,  hedges ;  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  for- 
ests through  which  it  passes,  &;c.;  the  ease  or  diffi- 
culty of  getting  over  it  at  diffi^rent  seasons. 

Ascertain  the  distances  between  the  most  impor- 
tant places ;  the  time  necessary  to  travel  over  those 
distances ;  the  difference,  in  broken  and  mountain- 
ous countries,  between  the  time  of  going  and  that 
of  returning;  the  means  which  the  localities  offi^r 
to  maintain,  improve,  build  and  destroy,  at  will, 
the  various  roads. 

Roads  parallel  to  the  one  reconnoitered,  and 
those  connecting  them  with  it,  should  be  indicated 
or  described  with  a  particularity  proportionable  tr> 
their  importance  in  a  military  point  of  view. 

13.  Observations  upon  canals,  rivers  and  creeks, 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  O 

considered  with  reference  both  to  navigation  and 
war,  should  have  for  their  principal  objects :  tlie 
nature,  elevation  and  slope  of  the  rivers ;  the  con- 
stant or  alternate  command  of  one  bank  over  the 
other;  the  most  suitable  points  for  establishing 
bridges  and  other  means  of  passage ;  the  situation 
of  existing  bridges,  their  dimensions  and  the  nature 
of  their  construction;  the  mills,  dams,  factories,  &c., 
upon  the  water  courses,  and  within  reach  of  the 
[)rincipal  roads  ;  the  ferries  and  boats,  the  length  of 
time  they  require  to  cross,  and  the  number  of  men, 
liorses  and  wagons  they  can  transport ;  the  fords 
their  direction,  the  nature  of  their  bottom,  their 
ordinary  length,  width  and  depth,  and  the  means 
of  destroying  them;  the  annual  floods  and  height 
thereof. 

]?Iilitary  Considerations. 

14.  Describe  all  important  military  positions  in 
tlie  district  reconnoitered ;  their  importance  for  the 
offensive  as  well  as  the  defensive;  the  number  of 
men  necessary  to  defend  or  attack  them ;  the  means 
of  strengthening  them  by  coupures,  barricades, 
abattis  or  inundations ;  the  proper  places  to  post 
a  convoy  or  escort;  the  advantage  to  be  obtained 
trom  villages,  hamlets,  farm-houses,  churches  and 
cemeteries  as  places  of  protection  and  safety  ;  the 
localities  whence  provisions,  forage,  wood  and  water 
are  to  be  obtained  for  each  position. 

15.  On  coasts,  indicate  the  positions  where 
landings  can  be  effected,  and  describe  the  means 
which  should  be  taken  either  to  prevent  them  or 
to  oppose  the  subsequent  movements  of  an  enemy. 

Military  Dispositions. 

16.  Explain,  as  clearly  and  briefly  as  possible, 


G  MANUAL    OF 

as  well  for  the  offensive  as  the  defensive,  all  that 
should  be  done  to  resist  an  enemy  or  conquer  him, 
according  to  his  movements,  which  wo  should  al- 
ways suppose  to  be  what  we  would  do  were  we  in 
his  place. 

17.  These  questions  should  be  treated  in  the 
conditional  and  upon  supposition,  as  already  stated. 
Avoid  relating  facts  accomplished,  and  describing 
marches  and  combats  useless  for  the  purposes  ot 
instruction,  and  which  prove  nothing  since  we  can 
arrange  our  facts  to  suit  ourselves. 

Historical  Details. 

18.  State  as  nearly  as  possible  the  epoch  at 
which  history  commences  to  make  mention  of  the 
wars,  ancient  or  modern,  of  which  the  country  has 
been  the  theatre ;  the  fields  of  battle  and  the  posi- 
tions of  the  armies  on  them;  and,  in  parenthesis, 
cite  the  works,  printed  or  written,  whence  the  in- 
formation has  been  obtained. 

IVIodel  of  a  Military  Memoir. 

19.  Place  upon  the  cover  and  on  the  first  page 
of  the  memoir,  the  following  as  the  title : 

FOURTEENTH  MILITARY  DIVISION. 


TWENTY-FIRST  REGIMENT  OF  THE  LINE. 


Martin,  Sergeant- Major. 

20.  The  copy  of  the  order,  in  virtue  of  which  the 
work  is  undertaken,  will  be  entered  upon  the  third 
pfige  of  the  memoir,  not  counting  the  cover. 


MILITARY   RBC«>NNAI8SANCJt8.  7 

ORDER. 

21.  Sergeant-Major  Martin  is  ordered  to  recoii 
iioitre  and  sketch  the  village  of  Sidevillo  and  its 
environs  within  a  radius  of  750  yards,  so  as  to 
present  a  square  of  about  1,500  yards  on  a  side. 

22.  He  will  suppose  this  village  is  destined  to 
canton  a  detachment  of  fifty  infantry,  the  rrgiment 
being  at  Octeville;  he  will  suppose  also,  the  eneniy 
master  of  Pieux  and  able  at  any  moment  to  march 
upon  Cherbourg. 

23.  The  sketch  will  be  accompanictl  by  a  n)eiiioii- 
containing,  in  the  following  order: 

1°  A  copy  of  the  present  order  ; 

2°  A  physical  description  of  the  district; 

3°  Its  statistics ; 

4°  Its  communications  ; 

5°  Military  considerations ; 

6°  Military  dispositions,  comprising :  the  estaW- 
lishment  of  the  detachment  in  the  village  of  Sidc- 
ville,  the  number  of  posts  and  advanced  sentinels 
to  establish  in  order  to  guarantee  it  against  surprise, 
the  instruction  to  be  given  them,  the  means  to  be 
employed  to  maintain  their  vigilance,  night  and 
day  ;  the  place  of  assembling  in  case  of  an  alarm  : 
the  assistance  that  can  be  drawn  from  the  accidents 
of  the  ground  and  the  buildings  for  the  defence  of 
the  village  in  case  of  an  attack,  and  the  plan  of  in - 
treat  to  the  regiment  in  case  it  is  forced  ; 

7°  Historical  details  with  regard  to  the  military 
operations,  ancient  or  modern,  of  which  the  village 
.ind  its  environs  have  been  the  theatre. 

By  command  of  Col.  A.  B., 

Comd'g  21st  Regiment  of  the  Line, 

C.  D.,  Adjutant. 


MANUAL    OF 
PHYSICAL  DESCRIPTION. 


'2i.  The  village  of  Sideville  is  situated  in  the 
.'Northern  part  of  the  county  of  Cherbourg;  the 
i^un'ounding  country  is  traversed  by  the  river  Di- 
\  ette,  which  empties  into  the  harbor  of  Cherbourg. 
The  mean  width  of  this  river  is  about  five  yards, 
its  depth  one  yard:  but  during  rainy  seasons  it 
oilen  overflows  its  banks,  and  inundates  the  fields, 
ill  the  midst  of  which  it  gently  flows  over  a  clayey 
bottom,  bordered  w^ith  willows  and  birches,  form- 
ing u  great  number  of  sinuosities. 

'li).  The  comitry  is  hilly,  broken,  furrowed  by 
si  nail  streams  of  water  and  ravines,  bristling  with 
l)anks  of  earth,  green  hedges,  and  small  groves  of 
<-e(iars  and  elms. 

26.  The  country  is  very  much  cut  up  into  small 
lie! sis,  each  of  w^hich  is  surrounded  by  banks  of 
•  artli  and  thick  hedges  of  hawthorn. 

The  village  is  composed  of  about  fifteen  houses 
grouped  near  together,  and  many  others  isolated 
and  remote ;  it  contains  a  stone  church,  and  has  a 
fli)ur  mill  quite  near  it;  all  upon  the  left  bank  of 
liic  Divette,  and  at  the  foot  of  a  hill,  the  top  of 
wliich  is  wooded,  and  about  seventy  yards  above 
the.  level  of  the  river. 

'Z7.  The  soil  is  generally  fertile  and  well  cultiva- 
ted ;  the  climate  moist  on  account  of  its  proximity 
t.'  the  ocean;  the  winter  is  mild,  freezing  weather 
bi'ing  rare. 

Contagious  diseases  are  almost  unknown;  the 
])revailing  winds  are  from  the  north  and  west;  w^a- 
U'r  good  and  abundant. 

28.  The  country  produces  cedars  suitable  for 
l)uilding  houses;  and  good  quarries  of  granite, 
quartz,  schistoze  and  slate  rocks,  are  abundant. 


I 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  V 

STATISTICS. 

20.  The  inhabitants  are  strongly  constituted,  ac- 
tive, laborious  and  very  industrious;  the  navy  gets 
many  excellent  recruits  there.  Their  maimers  ar-' 
simple,  and  their  character  is  generally  mild;  how- 
ever, the  men  are  somewhat  addicted  to  diinkiiu: 
cider  and  brandy. 

80.  Elementary  instruction  is  quite  general ;  and, 
as  there  are  many  primary  schools,  but  few  of  tlie 
inhabitants  are  unable  to  read  and  write. 

31.  The  soil  produces  cereals  of  every  kind,  ole- 
;iginous  and  tuberculous  plants,  beans  and  peas,  and 
an  immense  quantity  of  fruit,  especially  cider  ap- 
ples ;  the  meadows  are  full  of  horses,  oxen  and 
cows  of  fine  size.  The  productions  are  much  more 
than  sufficient  for  the  support  of  the  inhabitants, 
and  annually  they  export  to  England  large  quanti- 
ties of  eggs,  forage,  poultry,  and  many  animals. 

32.  The  culture  of  the  ground  occupies  the  in- 
liabitants  nearly  the  whole  year.  An  acre  of  ground 
requires  about  two  bushels  for  planting,  and  vieMv 
10  to  18. 


10 


MANUAL    Ol- 


Numerical  Statement  of  Resources. 


Names  of. 

Number 

■A'>. 

ViUagee, 

of  Fami- 

Observe 
tlons. 

DESIGNATIONS. 

Niiiultt-r. 

Hamlets  ! 

lies  in 

and 

each  Vil- 

Houses. 

lage,  Ac. 

WHITE  POPULATION. 

1,000 

SidevilK'.   '20    D 

Males. 

4G3 

Females. 

osr 

Males  between  IS  and 

4o. 

i::> 

KliEE     NEGROES. 

Males. 

Females, 

Males  between  18  and 

45. 

SLAVES. 

Males. 

Females. 

Males  between  18  and 

"L5. 

I'ROFESSIONS  AND 

TRADES. 

Doctors. 

Lawyers. 

Ministers. 

Aiaic  Teachers. 

Female    do 

Merchants, 

Carpenters. 

Musons. 

Blacksmiths. 

Oarring:e  Makers. 

Shoo             do. 

Tanncr-s. 

Tailor?. 

i;esources  for 

LODGING. 

Hotels. 

Public  Halls. 

Private  Houses. 

Houses  out  of  Villaifc. 

MILITAUV    RECONNAISSANCES. 


1.1 


N^umcrical  Statemeut  of  Resources. 


1 
DESIGNATIONS.           Number. 

Names  of 
Vila-es, 
Hamlets 

and 
Houses. 

Number 
of  Fami- 
lies in 
each   Vil- 
Jage,  <tc. 

Observa- 
tions. 

BAKERIES. 
Pounds  of    bread 
cooked  in  twenty- i 
four  hours. 

MILLS. 
Grist. 
Wheat. 

Saw.                              ! 
Steam. 
Water. 
Wind. 

MANUFACTORIES.      ; 

i 

1 

ANIMALS.               j 
Horses.                        1 
Mules,                          \ 
Asses.                            1 
Oxen.                           j 
Cows.                           1 
Sheep. 
Goats. 
Hogs. 

MEANS  OF  TRANSPOR-i 

TATION.                 1 

'  Two-wheeled  wagons. ! 
Four     do          do.      i 
Boats. 

LANDS.                   ! 

Cultivated.                   j 
Uncultivated. 
Cleared.                        1 
In  woods.                    1 

i:> 


MANUAL    OF 


Numerical  Statement  of  Resources. 


^**"' 

Names  of 

Number 

- 

DESIGNATIONS.           Number. 

Villages, 
namlets 

of   Fami- 
lies in 

Observa- 
tions. 

and 

each  Vil- 

Honses. 

lage,  Ac. 

1 
PR0DU0TI0N8.          i 

Maize.                             ' 

Wheat. 

Oats. 

i^y^-                      i 

Barl.'V.                            j 

Sweet  Potatoes*. 

Irish         do.                   1 

Turrips. 

Hay. 

Bean*. 

Peas. 

Whiskey. 

Brandy. 



MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  lr> 

COMMUNICATIONS. 

34.  One  public  and  live  neighborhood  ro;i,ds  tra- 
verse the  district  of  Sideville. 

35.  The  public  road  of  Pieux  is  confounded  with 
that  from  Cherbourg  to  Bricquebec,  to  a  poin 
about  250  yards  beyond  Martinvast  Bridge,  where 
tliey  separate  under  an  an<^le  of  55  degrees,  the 
Bricquebec  road  turning  south,  the  Pieux,  southwest, 
going  along  the  right  bank  of  the  Divette  to  Saint 
Christopher  le  Foe,  and  then  enters  the  basin  of 
the  Douve. 

36.  This  road,  whicli  connnunicates  by  a  branch 
with  the  Teurthcville-Hague,  is  made  of  rock,  and 
IS  solid  and  practicable  at  all  seasons,  though  a  lit- 
tle muddy  in  winter  on  ac(;ounUschistoze  character 
of  the  stone  of  which  it  is  built ;  its  mean  widtii 
is  about  10  yards.  It  is  drained  by  two  ditches, 
one  on  each  side,  a  yard  in  width. 

37.  The  Boulee  road  unites  with  the  road  from 
Pieux  on  the  other  side  of  Martinvast  Bridge  and 
leads  to  the  Teurtheville-IIague  road  about  200 
yards  above  the  village  of  Sideville  ;  it  is  from 
four  to  five  yards  wide,  and  although  very  muddy 
in  wmter,  the  inhabitants  of  Teurtheville-IIague 
]u-efer  it  to  the  road  from  Pieux  because  it  is  short^'r, 
A  stage  starting  from  Sideville  would  make 
the  trip  to  Octeville  in  50  minutes,  whilst  it  would' 
i-equire  60  by  the  public  road  ;  the  return  trip  ifi- 
shorter  by  five  minutes  on  account  of  the  descend- 
ing grade  to  Martinvast  Bridge.  There  is  anotiier 
small  road,  parallel  to  this,  without  name,  which 
starts  from  the  Sideville  Chnrch,  and  joins  the 
Boulee  before  it  reaches  the  Pieux. 

38.  The  Teurtheville-Hague  road  branches  at 
right  angles  from  the  public  road  at  a  point  oppo- 
site Sideville,  and  at  about  500  yards  from  it,  and 

B 


\ 


1-i  MANUAL    OF 

about  5,000  yards  Irom  Octcville.  It  crosses  the 
Divette  on  a  stone  bridge  of  three  arches,  eacli  () 
yards  long  and  4  wide.  The  parapet  is  about  *> 
I'eet  high. 

This  road  is  four  yards  wide,  well  kept  up,  and 
solid  at  all  seasons,  although  generally  included  be- 
tween dykes  of  earth,  surmounted  by  hedges.  Af- 
ter having  traversed  the  village,  it  rejoins  the 
Pieux  rojid  near  Saint  Christopher  le  Foe. 

30.  The  Couperic  road  is  narrow  and  deeply 
cut;  small  streams  of  water  wash  it  into  gullies 
throughout  its  length  ;  it  is  steep  and  broken ;  and 
starting  from  the  Teurtheville-Hague  road,  with 
which  it  connects,  it  leads  to  the  top  of  the  hills 
along  the  old  road  from  Pieux,  which  appears  to 
have  been  an  ancient  Roman  road. 

40.  The  Houguet  road  is  the  old  one  from  Va- 
lognes  to  Beaumont ;  it  intersects  the  roads  from 
Pieux  and  Bricquebec,  crosses  the  Divette  upon  a 
bad  w^ooden  bridge,  about  700  yards  from  Side- 
ville,  is  lost  for  some  distance  in  tho  Teurtheville- 
Hague  road,  leaves  it  beyond  the  hamlet  of  La 
Yacheux,  and  leads  to  the  road  from  Beaumont, 
near  the  village  of  Saint-Croix-Hague ;  this  road, 
which  is  about  four  yards  wide,  is  badly  kept  up. 
very  boggy,  and  but  little  used. 

MILITARY    CONSIDERATIONS. 

41.  The  ground  upon  which  Sideville  is  situated, 
has  on  the  right  and  left  of  the  road  from  Pieux  to 
Cherbourg,  a  hill  from  50  to  60  yards  high ;  that 
at  the  foot  of  which  Sideville  is  located  is  too  dis- 
tant from  the  road  to  defend  it  w^ell  without  ai-- 
tillery  :  the  opposite^  one  on  the  contrai-y,  termi- 
nates at  the  road,  and  behind  the  dykes  and  hedges 
of  that    position    300   infantry  could   defend  the 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  15 

passage  against  an  enemy  inarching  from  Pieux 
upon  Cherbourg  so  mueli  the  better  because  the 
prairies  through  which  the  Divettc  Hows,  are  ini- 
j)raoticable  on  account  of  the  ditches  arr'  hedges 
which  bound  each  property,  and  which  W(Hild  force 
liini  to  keep  the  road. 

42.  One  hundred  men  phiced  in  the  three  houses 
between  Sideville  and  the  road,  the  houses  being 
l()0p-h(jled  and  placed  in  apropei-  condition  for  de- 
fence, would  contribute  powerfully  to  arrest  the 
march  of  an  enemy  along  the  road,  as  he  would 
then  be  exposed  to  a  cross  fire  from  the  lionsos  and 
the  opposite  height. 

MILITARY    DISPOSITIONS. 

4o.  My  first  care  on  arriving  at  the  village  of  Side- 
ville, with  the  detachment  under  my  coiiimand, 
and  in  case  the  enemy  should  not  be  in  the  envi- 
rons, would  be  to  divide  it  into  parties  and  recon- 
noitre the  village  and,  neighborhood  thoroughly  : 
that  over,  as  the  houses  are  near  together,  I  should 
billet  my  men  by  fours,  and  lodge  myself  in  the 
(•■■'ntre,  giving  as  a  place  of  assembling;  in  case  of 
;;u  alarm  and  for  the  daily  calls  for  duty,  the  en- 
closure, planted  with  apple  trees  and  surrounded 
l)y  a  hedge,  in  which  the  church  is  located. 

44.  In  the  nearest  house  to  the  church,  where 
there  is  a  primary. school,  I  would  establish  n,  })ost 
of  four  men,  with  a  corporal  and  drummer;  more- 
over, I  would  establish  three  small  advanced  posts, 
consisting  each  of  a  corporal  and  three  men  ;  the 
first,  at  the  point  whei-e  the  Teurtheville-TIague, 
the  Boulee  and  Couperie  roads  unite,  with  a  sen- 
tinel on  the  road  from  Teurtheville ;  the  second, 
on  Simon's  farm,  with  a  sentinel  at  the  point  where 
tile  direct  path  to  Sideville  branches  from  the  IIou- 


10  MANUAL     OF 

L^nietroaJ;  the  third,  in  the  nearest  house  to  the 
I'ond  from  Pieux,  with  a  sentinel  on  that  road. 

45.  These  three  sentinels  placed  where  they  can 
see  as  far  as  possibk*  and  he  at  the  same  time  well 
concealed,  would  have  for  their  duty  to  observe 
closely  Avhether  any  party  of  the  enemy  coming 
from  Pieux,  should  advance  towards  Cherbourg, 
either  by  the  main  route,  or  by  the  country  roads 
parallel  to  it ;  in  that  case,  the  sentinel  making  the 
discovery,  should  hasten  silently  and  at  full  speed, 
without  m.aking  himself  visible,  to  his  post ;  the 
post  should  then  fire  to  give  information  of  the 
approach  of  the  enemy,  and  go  au  pas  de  cours,  U) 
the  rendezvous  of  the  detachment. 

46.  At  night  the  sentinels  should  occupy  secure 
places,,  behind  a  hedge  for  instance,  where  the  ene- 
my could  not  reach  them,  but  from  which  they 
could  have  a  good  view  all  around,  and  go  easily 
to  their  posts  without  being  exposed. 

47.  The  sentinel  of  the  police  guard  should  be 
stationed  in  the  church  tower,  and  be  instructed 
to  keep  a  good  look  out  all  around  during  the  day. 
and  to  listen  attentively  at  night ;  at  the  first  shot, 
or  first  cry  of  alarm,  or  rather  at  the  first  ringing 
of  the  church  bell,  the  drummer  of  the  picket 
post  should  beat  the  proper  call.  The  sentinel  in 
the  church  tower  should  give  the  alarm  at  the 
first  sight  of  the  enemy. 

48.  The  sentinels  would  be  instructed  to  arrest 
every  one  coming  from  or  going  towards  the  ene- 
my, and  take  him  to  their  posts,  to  be  questioned 
and  examined  :  and,  in  case  any  thing  suspicious 
should  develop  itself,  he  would  be  sent  to  Sideville 
to  me,  whence  I  would  send  him  under  guard  to 
Octcville. 

49.  I  would  see  that  my  detachment  kept  their 
arms  loaded  and  in  good  condition,  and  all  their 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  17 

equipments  in  perfect  order  and  recady  for  instant 
use;  the  men  on  duty  would  not  be  allowed  to 
take  off  any  portion  of  their  equipments  or  cloth- 
ing at  night,  and  the  others  required  to  keep  on  at 
least  their  pantaloons  and  every  thing  ready  for 
Immediate  adjustment,  so  that  the  entire  detach- 
ment may  be  under  arms  at  the  indicated  place 
within  three  minutes  after  the  first  alarm. 

50.  In  order  to  secure  the  vigilance  of  the  posts 
and  their  sentinels,  I  would  visit  them,  and  have 
them  visited,  frequently,  and  particularly  at  night ; 
and  would  adopt  signals  of  recognition  to  replace 
the  ordinary  challenges,  so  as  to  avoid  showing 
where  the  sentinels  are  posted — changing  the  lo- 
cations every  night  to  prevent  surprises. 

51.  If  the  enemy  should  march  upon  Cherbourg 
by  the  main  route,  I  would  hasten  with  my  entire 
party  to  that  road  to  reconnoitre  ;  if  he  is  in  force, 
I  would  divide  my  detachment  into  two  equal 
parts,  place  one  half  on  each  side  of  the  road  in 
one  rank,  so  as  to  offer  less  mark  to  the  enemy's 
shots  in  my  retreat  to  Octeville,  and  dispute  his 
march,  foot  by  foot,  taking  advantage  of  all  trees 
and  accidents  of  the  ground  to  shelter  my  men, 
and  enable  them  to  deliver  their  fire  with  some 
certainty. 

52.  If  I  should  be  pressed  closely  by  the  ene- 
my's cavalry,  I  would  cut  across  the  fields  with  my 
entire  detachment,  skirmishing  the  whole  way, 
however,  and  with  the  greater  advantage,  because 
the  cavalry  could  not  clear  the  banks  and  hedges, 
whilst  they  would  offer  but  little  obstacle  to  in- 
fantry. 

53.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  enemy  should  ad- 
vance by  the  country  roads  parallel  to  the  main 
route,  I  would,  at  first,  place  my  detachment  in 
front   of    Sideville   behind   the   banks   and   thick 


18  MANUAL    OF 

hedges  found  there,  and  from  which  we  could  do 
much  injury  to  the  enemy  before  being  driven  back  ; 
in  the  same  manner,  I  would  dispute  each  field,  foot 
by  foot,  until  passing  the  village,  when  I  would 
take  the  road  leading  from  the  church  to  the  Bou 
lee,  in  order  to  retire  to  Octeville. 

54.  As  soon  as  the  enemy  appears  an  officer,  oi- 
some  trusty  man,  would  be  sent  at  full  speed  to 
inform  the  commander  of  the  regiment  at  Octe- 
ville, in  order  that  he  might  have  time  to  make 
his  dispositions  to  receive  him. 

55.  If  the  enemy  should  surprise  my  post  near 
the  road  from  Pieux,  and,  turning  the  village,  cut 
off  my  retreat  to  Octeville  by  the  main  route  and 
the  Boulee  road,  I  would  retire  by  the  Couperlc 
and  gain  the  road  from  Beaumont  to  Cherbourg  1)\ 
Branville  and  Nacqueville. 

5G.  Finally,  if  the  village  of  Sideville  is  to  sup- 
port my  detachment,  I  would  collect  the  necessary 
provisions  into  magazines,  in  order  that  they 
might  be  distributed  regularly  and  lawfully,  allow- 
ing no  pillaging,  being  well  satisfied  that  order  antl 
system  are  the  best  means  to  secure  subsistence 
for  soldiers  for  any  length  of  time.  On  the  con^ 
trary,  if  the  provisions  come  from  Octeville,  I 
would  frequently  visit  the  lodgings  of  my  men,  to 
see  that  the  citizens  had  not  been  put  under  contri- 
bution by  them. 

HISTORICAL    DETAILS. 

57.  The  district  of  Sideville  has  never  been  the 
theatre  of  any  military  event. 

Ol>iservation. 

58.  Some  oflicer,  superior  in   rank   to  the  one 


57.  The  SFstrict  of  SideviTTelias  never  been  the 
theatre  of  any  military  event. 

OI>servation. 

58.  Some  officer,  superior  in   rank  to  the  one 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  l'.> 

charged  with  the  reconDaissance,  should,  if  possi- 
ble, examine  his  labors  on  the  ground  itself,  satisfy 
himself  as  to  the  correctness  of  his  statements,  and 
make  a  report  upon  the  merits  of  the  reconnais- 
sance. 

The  following  Remarks  are  condensed  from  Mo- 
hayibs  Treatise  on  Advanced-Guard,  Oi(t-Poftf!<. 
d:c.     Chap.  V. 

59.  No  more  important  duty  can  be  assigned  an 
officer  than  that  of  conducting  a  reconnaissance,  or 
of  collecting  and  arranging  all  necessary  informa- 
tion relative  to  any  district  within  the  sphere  of 
military  operations.  Maps,  however  detailed  and 
perfect,  can  not  convey  all  the  requisite  informa- 
tion for  planning  an  ordinary  march,  much  less, 
the  operations  of  a  campaign.  These  deficiencies 
of  maps  can  only  be  supplied  by  an  actual  exami- 
nation of  the  ground,  and  by  gaining  all  possibU' 
information  from  the  inhabitants. 

60.  The  qualifications  of  an  officer  entrusted 
with  this  duty,  should  be  great;  an  intimate  ac- 
quaintance with  geography,  statistics  and  topc)- 
graphy  being  essential  to  its  successful  dischari^o. 
Jle  should  be  clear  headed  and  truthful ;  accus- 
tomed to  see  things  as  they  are,  and  to  tell  briefly 
and  clearly  what  he  has  seen.  In  making  his  re- 
port, he  should  separate  what  has  fallen  under  his 
observation,  from  the  information  derived  from 
others,  adding  circumstances  of  time  and  place 
with  the  utmost  accuracy. 

61.  The  officer  selected  for  this  duty,  should  ^^r 
certain  in  the  first  place  precisely  what  he  is  re- 
quired to  do,  and  what  should  be  done  in  case  of 
certain  contingencies  that  maybe  expected;  and, 
in  discharging  the  duty  assigned  him,  and  in  mak- 
ing his  report,  he  should  keep  clearly  in  mind  tht» 


•20  MANUAL    OK 

specific   character   of  Ills   mission,  and    introduce 
nothing  irrelevant. 

62.  Before  going  to  the  fudd  of  his  labors,  he 
should  provide  himself  with  a  map,  a  telescope, 
pen,  ink  and  paper,  pencil,  drawing  instruments 
and  son¥)  means  for  ascertainii)g  distances  and 
measuring  angles;  arriving  there,  or  even  before, 
lie  should,  if  possible,  secure  the  services  of  good 
guides,  and  gain  all  possible  information  from  the 
inhabitants. 

63  Hunters,  carriers,  smugglers,  &c.,  make  the 
best  guides;  if  none  such  can  be  found,  resort 
must  be  made  to  the  local  authorities.  Every  ef- 
fort should  be  made  to  enlist  and  retain  the  good 
\s'ill  of  those  employed  on  this  service ;  at  the 
same  time,  they  should  be  watched  closely,  and  any  \ 
.'ittempt  at  treachery  be  punished  severely. 

64.  A  general  view  of  the  whole  ground  should 
lirst  be  taken,  and  then  the' several  parts  studied 
in  detail.  Roads,  ranges  of  hills  and  mountains, 
livers,  creeks,  defiles,  woods,  &c.,  should  be  parti- 
cularly examined ;  all  villages,  hamlets,  houses, 
mills,  .&;c.,  along  any  given  road,  carefully  designa 
led — isolated  houses  described  by  reference 'to 
their  peculiarities,'  and  the  side  of  the  road  they 
occupy.  Important  military  positions  should  be 
sought  for,  and  means  of  reaching,  defending  and 
attacking  them  given. 

Give  the  names  of  localities  with  the  utmost  ac- 
curacy, and  ascertain  the  distances  between  them. 

65.  A  reconnaissance  in  the  presence  of  an  ene- 
my is  either  to  gain  secretly  a  knowledge  of  his 
whereabouts  and  strength,  or  to  force  him  to  show 
his  hand. 

In  the  first  case  the  reconnoitering  officer  must 
be  escorted  by  a  troop  of  light  cavalry,  and  every 
precaution  should  be  taken  to  avoid  being  cut  off. 


MILITAKV    KECONNAISSANCKS.  'Jl 

• 

Under  the  protection  of  this  escort,  the  reconnoiter- 
ing  officer  endeavors  to  ascertain  the  position  of 
the  enemy  and  his  strength;  and,  at  the  same  tinif. 
studies  the  ground  intervening  between  the  twM 
armies,  with  the  view  of  determining  its  capabilitv 
for  favoring  an  advance  upon  the  enemy,  C)r  of  re- 
sisting an  attack  by  him. 

In  the  latter  ease,  the  officer  goes  out  under  tia- 
protection  of  a  strong  detachment  of  all  arms;  and. 
by  irritating  attacks  upon  the  enemy,  endeavors  in 
make  him  call  out  his  entire  force  and  develop  his 
plan  of  defence  or  attack. 

Seizing  a  favorable  moment,  the  reconnoiterini: 
officer  notes  the  dispositions  of  the  enemy's  troops. 
the  number  of  his  guns  in  position  or  otherwise, 
the  spirit  of  his  troops  as  indicated  by  their  alac- 
rity to  advance,  or  disposition  to  hold  back,  the 
promptness  of  their  manceuvres,  the  character  of 
the  officers,  and  any  thing  else  that  he  may  deem 
note-worthy. 

The  detachment  under  whose  protection  the  rc- 
connoitering  officer  makes  these  observations,  should 
be  held  M^ell  in  hand,  and  not  be  allowed  to  be  en- 
gaged  so  closely  as  not  to  be  easily  extricated:  and 
.'IS  soon  as  he  has  gained  the  desired  information  it 
should  be  drawn  off  promptly,  but  in  good  order. 
Reinforc6ments  should  be  at  hand  to  check,  if  ne- 
cessary, the  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 


MAN  I -A  I.    OK 


(•llAiilCIJ  li. 

<)i>.  Not  even  an  onijin- of  MllirMvy  Topo-jraphy 
<an  l)c'  given  here  ;  nothiusr  but  a    fo\v  definitions, 

•  lire  etions.  &c. 

(>7.  Topography  is  tiw  ;irt  of  rej^resenting,  by 
conventional  signs,  on  a  jilane,  as  a  hoard,  or  a 
sheet  of  paper.  ai:<1  according  to  any  required 
SI  ahv.%  the  surfaee  ef  tlie  ground  and  all  improve- 
ments on  it,  in  sueh  a  inanner,  that,  at  a  single 
ghiiice,  we  can  appreciate  dista.nees,  recogni/ie  turn- 
pikes, railways,  eanais.  country  roads,  paths,  ditelies,, 
iiedges,  rivers,  creeks,  hrielges,  fords,  mountains, 
plains,  valleys,  forests,  fiekls,  marshes,  ponds, 
cities,  villages,  hamlets,  houses,  mills,  factories, 
&c.,  &c.,  which  traverse  or  cox'er  it. 

{)8.  This  definition  may  siTve  to  give  aji  idea 
of  tlie  subject,  and  show  its  importance  relativc^h^ 
all  military  operations  It  is,  indeed,  indispensable 
for  the  snccessful  prosecution  of  war;  without  it  there 
can  be  no  strategetical  cori)])inations,  no  attack  or 
ddence,  with  any  probahie  chance  of  success;  he 
who  fights  upon  ground  that  he  does  not  thoi-ough- 
ly  understand,  is  almost  necessarily  beaten,  and 
the^re  is  no  military  enrerpri/e,  whether  tr)  seize, 
attack,  or  defend  a  position,  that  does  not  requiic 
a  preliminary  reconnaissance  or  some  topograph 
ical  knowledge  of  the  disti-ict  in  which  it  is  located. 


MTLITAHV     KECONN'AISSANCES.  •-'.> 

C)Jeosfrapliii'al  TeriBix  iifxecB  in  'ropojjraphy. 

» 

(>9.  Chdins-  of  Mom/ '(/ins  arc  a  scrit'S  of  moun- 
tains connected  tog!  tiler  aii'i  extending  over  <j;n  at 
(jistanees:  as  the  AI[)s,  ihv  Andes,  &c 

The  highest  <>r  cniiniiiMting  points  are  called 
|»eaivs;  and  these  trike  di.'lert  nt  na'^cs  according  to 
their  forms:  ticedkv^,  if  lliev  are  conicui ;  teeth,  if 
they  are  prismatic;  '"  I. aliens. "*  if  they  are  ghdui- 
iar.  The  sh)pes  of  tlie  sidi  s  tVoiii  to])  to  base,  are 
called  Flanks. 

Chains  of  moinitaliis  i..s^  ele\aled  than  the  pr'.i; 
cipal,  but  parallel  to  th  -in,  are  called  Counterforts. 
'i  he  range  nearest   the  principal  chain,  being  mor<' 
elevated  than  the  others,  is  of  ther  f.rst  order:  the 
next,  of  the  aecond  order,  and  so  on. 

When  mountains  are  not  more  than  200  or  o(H> 
yards  high,  they  are  called  Iiills.  and  their  flank«< 
>iidrs ;  those  from  100  to  '200  yards  high,  are 
called  "  mamelons.'^ 

The  deep  depressions  which  sometimes  separate 
contiguous  mountains  ^A  a  chain,  knd  which  serve 
as  means  of  communication  across  them,  are  called 
Gaps,  Gorjes,  or  Defiles.  Valleys  are  intervals 
between  the  bases  of  high  mountains;  VuUohs 
narrow  intervals  between  hills  Every  valley  «»r 
vallon,  through  which  flows  a  stream  of  water,  is 
called  a  Basin.  There  are  |>rincip<d  and  auxiliary 
basins.  The  basin  of  any  riviM-  is  the  principal  ba- 
sin with  respect  to  its  system  of  ti-ibutaries,  each 
of  which  has  its  own  basin,  and  may  itself  be  mti 
auxiliary  basin  of  someother  river.  Thus,  the  ba- 
sin of  the  Yonne  is  an  auxiliary  or  secondai-y  basin 
with  respect  to  that  of  the  Seine,  of  which  it*  is  a 
tributary,  whilst  it  is  a  principal  basin  with  respect 
to  its  tributaries,  the  ArmarK;on  and  Serain. 

The  principal  sti-eam   of  water  in  any  valley  or 


•J4  MANUAL    or 

vallon,  is  called  the  Thahcp(j.  »>r  Hue  of  great€>it 
Hlo'pe.  • 

All  rivers  or  streams  emptying  into  another  arc 
called  Affiueiits ;  and  the  place  of  union  of  any  two 
streams,  a  Conjiiienf. 

The  Mouth  of  a  river  is  the  place  where  it  emp- 
ties into  some  lake,  sea,  or  ocean  :  the  SourcCy  its 
hiirliest  spring. 

The  rifjht  hank  of  a  river  is  that  on  the  right 
iund  as  you  go  down  the  rivei- ;  the  left  bank  isj 
tl)en,  the  opposite  side. 

Khnple  I9Icaii«i    for    ^leaMiirins;:   Di54tance«, 
l^lopejii  and  Angles. 

70.  When  there  is  sufiicient  time,  and  the  neces- 
sai-y  instruments  are  at  hand,  distances  and  angles 
can  he  measured  with  all  necessary  accuracy,  but 
simpler  means  have  to  be  adopted  in  a  reconnais 
sauce.  The  officer  charged  with  it  should  know 
the  length  of  his  ordinary  step.  This  can  ])e  de- 
termined by  walking  over  any  given  distance  and 
dividing  it  by  the  number  oi"  steps  he  has  taken. 
The  greater  the  distance,  the  more  accurately  will 
he  get  the  length  of  his  step.  If  it  is  short,  by 
N\  alking  over  it  a  great  many  times,  and  taking  the 
mean  of  the  results,  he  M'ill  know  the  length  of  his 
step  with  much  accuracy,  lie  should  know,  also, 
the  distances  that  his  horse  passes  over  in  a  given 
time,  at  a  walk,  a  pace,  a  trot,  and  a  canter. 

71.  The  distance,  if  considerable  between  two 
j)()ints,  can  be  quite  accurately  determined  by 
noting  at  one  the  number  of  seconds  elapsing  be- 
tween the  flash  and  report  of  a  gun  fired  at  the 
other,  and  multiplying  by  1,112,  whidi  is  the  ve- 
locity of  sound. 

72.  Scales  for  estimating  distances  can  be  readi 


J 


MILITAKV    KECONNAISSANCES.  ^it 

Iv  iii.i'io  ))y  iiinrkii)^^  off  on  a  pencil,  or  small  stick, 
held  at  arm's  k'n^ith  from  the  eye,  the  portions  in- 
tcTcopted  between  the  rays  passing  from  the  eye  to 
the  head  and  feet  of  a  man  of  average  size,  placed 
at  different  distances  from  100  to  1,000  yards.  In 
tlie  same  mainiej-  a  scale  may  be  prepared  by  ob- 
si'i-ving  a  horse,  a  cow,  an  apple  tree,  a  poplar,  a 
single-story  or  two- story  house,  &;c.,  at  different 
known  distances. 

73.  The  best  results  are  obtained  from  the  stadia, 
wliich  is  made  as  follows : 


Having 
isosceles  triangle 


:X  plate  of  ivory  or  metal,  cut  out  an 
holding  this  at  arm's  length,  the 


■2(5  •     MANUAI,    OF 

plate  being  vertical,  look  through  the  oprning  ant  I 
mark  the  points  A  and  where  the  rays'  ])a"^"<iiig 
Ironi  the  eye  to  the  head  and  feet  of  a  man  *200 
yards  distant,  are  just  taiigent  to  the  long  edges 
of  the  aperture  or  sides  of  the  triangidar  o])ening. 
And  by  successively  placing  him  at  points  300. 400, 
1,000  yards  distant,  other  points  can  be  di'l-.-rniinefl 
^md  the  scale  completed. 

More  accurate  instruments,  whieli.  however,  avf- 
not  always  to  be  procured,  are:  The  Stadia  <»t 
Corporal  Malphet,  The  Lunette  of  AT.  Porr<»,  and 
The  Telescope  of  M.  M.  Lerebour-SeciTt.-m. 

74.  For  the  following  simple  method  of  measur- 
ing the  distance  across  a  river,  or  to  any  r^'Miotr 
object,  as  a  battery,  column  of  infantry,  v(:e.,  I  am 
indebted  to  Gen.  J.  R,  Trimble,  0.  S."  A.:  8ele«-t 
a  well  defined  object,  f,  as  a  tree,  chimney,  ^Sjo.,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  get,  if  possible. 
a  level  piece  of  ground  near  the  bank  to  ti-ace  tlu- 
base  ac  at  right-angles  to  af  the  distance  to  !)e  de- 
termined. At  c,  erect  cd  perpendjcular  to  ac,  ;Mid 
make  cd  any  convenient  (listanee.  From  d  look 
towards  f  and  mark  with  a  stake  the  point  <»f  in- 
tersection b  of  gic  and  df.  Measure  ab  jind  br: 
then,  from  the  similar  triangles  bed  and  abf,  »'l» 
:  ;i  b  : :  cd  :  at=  ab  x  cd 

The  longer  the  base  ac,  tlie  'more  accurate  tlir  re- 
sult; one  person  may  make  the  measurements,  l)ut 
two  get  the  result  sooner.  If  a  tape  line  is  ftt 
hand,  the  I'ight-angles  c  and  a  may  be  hud  off  by 
the  proportions  6,8,10;  biit  if  no  cord  of  any 
kind  can  be  had,  they  must  be  measured  aj-pi-oxi- 
mately  with  the  eye. 

75.  To  measure  slopes,  make  a  small  tiianglr 
abc,  and  from  d  the  middle  of  ab  suspend  a  plum 
met  and  mark  the  point  e  in  which  the  thread    in- 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCEvS.  27 

teisects  cither  side  ac  or  be,  when  ab  is  horizontal. 
Get  also  the  exact  lieight  of  the  eye  above  the- 
ixround. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  2f> 

To  use  this  instrument,  stand  at  any  puint  as  ¥ 
:m(\  sight  over  ab,  taking  care  so  to  hohl  the  instru- 
ment that  the  thi-ead  of  the  plummet  shall  intersect 
be  at  e,  and  observe  the  point  G,  where  the  line  of 
sight  cuts  the  ground ;  move  to  G,  and  in  tlie  same 
manner  fmd  the  point  11 ;  then  K,  L,'M?  ^^-  Now, 
if  the  eye  is  5  feet  from  the  ground,  G  is  5  feet 
above  F ;  H  10  feet;  K  15  feet"^;  L  20  feet ;  M  25- 
feet,  &c.;  and  measuring  the  distances  FG,  GH, 
vVc,  the  profile  of  the  line  FM  is  obtained,  also 
the  slope. 

76.  To  measure  angles  on  the  ground :  from  A 
the  vertex,  measure  with  a  tape,  any  convenient 
distance  AB  towards  one  of  the  objects  M,  and 
AC  towards  the  other ;  then,  measuring  BC,  the 
sides  of  the  triangle  ABC  are  known,  and  can  bo. 
laid  off  according  to  any  scale. 

The  method  of  delineating  the  surface  of  the 
ground  and  representing  the  various  objects  on  it,, 
can  not  be  described  within  the  limits  of  this  small 
work;  it  may  be  well  to  remark,  however,  that 
the  work  of  sketching  the  district  reconnoitered 
may  be  facilitated  by  referring  all  objects  in  it, 
when  possible,  to-vtwo  lines  drawn  at  right-angles 
to  each  other  and  connecting  prominent  points,, 
f'itlier  within  or  without  its  limits. 

Itineraries. 

78.  Itineraries  are  accurate  descriptions  of  roads 
giving  distances  between  important  points,  thfr- 
changes  of  direction,  heights  of  hills,  width,  depth 
and  direction  of  streams  crossed  by  fords  or  by 
bridges;  describing,  also,  all  objects  of  interest  or 
importance  along  the  road  and  within  short  distan- 
ces of  it,  its  intersection  with  oth<ir  roads,  their 
ilirection,  width,  importance,  &c.;  whether  bounded 


^iO  MANUAL    OF 

by  ditches,  hedges,  fences,  woods,  &;c.  Distance** 
may  be  measured  by  the  length  of  the  pace,  oi* 
more  accurately  with  the  pedometer.  Heights  may 
J>e. measured  by  the  barometer.  The  accompany- 
ing formula  gives  quite  accurate  results : 
Let  x=difrerence  in  height  of  two  stations  in  feci 

hr=  height  of  barometer  at  lower  station; 

h'=     "       "         "  at  upper      do 

then,x=55,000xh-h^ 

If  the  mean  temperature  of  the  two  stations  ex 
ceeds  55°,  increase  this  result  by  the  ~\-  part 
of  itself  multiplied  by  the  excess;  if  the  mean 
temperature  is  less  than  55°,  diminish  the  resnli 
in  the  same  manner. 

The  Aneroid  Barometer  is  more  convenient  in 
practice  than  the  Mercurial,  and  is,  perhaps,  as  ac- 
curate 

The  heights  of  all  points  are  referred  to  that  <>l' 
departure — positive  differences  of  altitude  are  en- 
tered on  the  right  of  the  column  representing  tJir 
road  ;  negative  differences,  on  the  left. 

In  the  absence  of  a  compass,' changes  of  direc- 
tion can  only  be  indicated  approximatively.  Sec 
i'xample. 


H 

1 

siBGS^BBBi 

IH3Ha»HHi 

p^Bailp 

^HnnflHHi 

BBHBMI— HmI 

jnH 

H 

■ 

MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  31 


CHAPTER  III. 


ElemeHtis  of  Temporary  Fortification. 


79.  Works  thrown  up  in  haste,  and  under  dil- 
ferent  forms,  to  defend  the  aj3proaches  to  soinr 
post,  as  a  village,  hamlet,  bridge,  ford,  road,  house. 
<.S^e.,  and  which  are  to  serve  only  some  temporary 
purpose,  are  called  Temporari/  Foriijicationti. 
They  consist  of  essentially  a  bank  of  earth  foi'  tin 
r^helter  of  the  defenders,  and  a  ditch  from  which  the 
earth  is  obtained.  The  ditch  should,  as  a  genera! 
rule,  be  on  the  side  towards  the  enemy,  so  as  to 
otler  an  additional  obstacle  to  his  progress ;  but. 
under  certain  circumstances,  especially  when  there 
is  but  little  time  for  their  construction,  and  it  is 
important  to  get  the  troop.s  under  shelter  as  soon 
as  possible,  the  ditch,  or  trench,  as  it  is  then 
called,  may  be  on  the  inside.  The  advantage  of 
this  arrangement  is,  that  for  every  foot  of  depth  <;f 
the  ditch,  two  feet  of  shelter  are  obtained  for  tli*- 
troops.  When  there  are  tools  and  men  a  plenty 
the  ditch  and  trench  may  be  dug  both  at  the  same 
time,  and  the  dirt  be  used  for  making  the  bank  oi 
breast-work  between  them. 

80.  The  nature  and  extent  of  the  works  requin-fj 
for  the  defence  of  any  post,  will  depend  upon  its 
importance^  the  character  of  the  ground,  and  th'.- 
strength  of  the  detachment.  They  usually  consist- 
of  the  following  simple  forms;  P.  Coxipures  in- 
Travarse.s  fur  blocking  up  roads,  closing  the  en- 
trance of  a,  redoubt,  or  protecting  the  defenders  of 


->'w  MANUAL    OF 

any  other  work  from  a  fire  in  flank  or  reverse;  2'^. 
Epaulements  at  the  forks  of  roads  to  cover  a  grand- 
i^iiard,  or  an  advanced  post.  3°;  Fleches,  to  cover  a 
bridge  or  ford,  or  to  close  a  redoubt.  4"'.  Redans^ 
for  the  same  purposes  as  Fleches,  but  pi-eferahle  to 
them  as  they  allow  a  fire  in  the  direction  of  their 
capitals ;  (lines  bisecting  the  angles  of  a  work;) 
5°.  Luneties,  which  have  the  same  objects  as 
Fleches,  but  admit  of  a  fire  at  right-angles  to  their 
capitals;  0°.  Redoubtft,  to  defend  posts  which  nw 
upen  to  attack  on  all  sides  ;  7°.  Auxiliary  defen- 
(•(vs — as  barricades  J  abattis,  chevaux-de-frisc,  d:c. 

81.  Epaulements,  Fleches,  Redans,  and  Lunettes^ 
being  open  at  the  gorge ^  the  side  opposite  to  that  at 
which  the  enemy  presents  himself,  can  not  ])0  em- 
ployed to  defend  posts  which  are  susceptible  ol 
being  turned  or  attacked  in  the  rear;  for,  if  the  ene- 
}ay  can  take  them  in  reverse,  they  are  worth  nothing. 
.'tnd  the  time  spent  in  erecting  them  is  lost. 

Description,  Form  and  Disnensiois^  of 
WorkH. 

82.  Coupures  consist  of  a  simple  parapet  (Ijank 
of  earth,)  and  a  ditch,  disposed  at  right-nngles  to 
the  road  to  be  blocked  up,  their  length  (le})ending 
upon  the  width  of  the  road ;  the  ditch  should  be 
from  2  to  4  feet  deep,  and  as  many  wide ;  the 
earth  is  thrown  outwards  without  any  other  ar 
rangement  than  to  form  a  kind  of  breastwork,  })e- 
hind  which  the  defenders  may  lire  and  be  at  shelter. 

Coupures  should,  if  possible,  be  placed  between 
houses,  walls,  hedges,  or  other  obstacles,  behind 
which  sharp-shooters  may  be  placed  to  defend  the 
ditch  and  prevent  the  enemy  from  an  escalade. 

Traverses  for  closing  redoubts  and  protecting 
the  defenders  of  a  work  from  a  flank  or  reverse^ 


MIMTARY    KEC0NNAIS8AXCES. 


t^H 


jii'c',  need  not  have  any  ditch,  the  dirt  for  their  con- 
struction being  supplied  from  the  ditches  of  thr 
T(;douV)t,  and  should  have  a  length,  height  and 
thickness,  dependent  upon  the  dimensions  of  the 
j^eneral  work,  and  the  special  ol)ject  of  their  con- 
struction. 


s;j,  Epanlenients.  tig.  6,  are  like  coupures,  cojn- 
posed  of  a  ditch  and  parapet  of  similar  dimensions: 
they  arc  rectilinear,  and  have  two  or  three  faces  ac 
cording  to  the  number  of  avenues  of  the  pgst  the\ 
cover.  The  length  of  each  face  depends  upon  the 
strength  of  the  detachment.    (See  No.  92.) 

An  advanced  post  should  not  construct  an  epaulc- 
rnent,  unless  it  has  to  occupy  the  position  for  some 
time,  is  liable  to  be  surprised  l)v  cavalry,  and  has 
its  flanks  well  protected  by  impracticable  ground. 

54.  FIcches,  fig.  7,  have  two  sides,  and  resembh^ 
an  inverted  V  ;  the  angle  should  not  be  less  that 
70  degrees  nor  more  than  100;  the  sides  may  be 
trom  20  to  60  yards  long. 

55.  Redans,  fig.  8,  are  fleches  with  the  acute  an- 
gle cut  off  by  a  short  face,  called  a  pan  coupe  ;  the 
f-ices  have  the  same  length  as  fleches. 

80.    Lunettes,  fig.  9,  are  fleches  with  flanks.  Th/' 


•*A 


MANUAL    OF 


ll         I 


jiJigle  of  the  taces  is  from  70  to  100  (Jcgivos  ;  tin!.- 
oi'  the  faces  and  flanks,  i'vniw  loO  to    150  <le<i,i\'<,- 


'I'he  faces  inaj  bo  40  U)  GO  yards  long:  the  ihuik> 
'W  to  40.  Th  flanks  may  or  may  not  Ix^  paraHr 
to  the  capitals, 

.S7.   iviMhtiihts  ;iri'  usually  sf^uarc,  but  inuy  Ix-  n 


MILITARY     KKCOXXAISSAXCF.S. 


86 


MANUAL    OF 


any  figure.     The  square  form  is  the  simplest  and 
most  easily  constructed.     Fig.  10. 

Some  times  one  angle  is  cut  off  by  a  pan  coupe. 
and  the  adjacent  faces  broken  for  a   short   distance. 


88.  "The  indented  line,  fig.  11,  serves  to  convert 
the  direct  fire  of  a  straight  line,  into  a  flank  and  cross 


MILITARY^    RECONNAISSANCES.  87 

fire,  cand    is,  therefore,  frequently  subs^tituteii    for 
it."     Mahan. 

89.  "The  Mitre  or  Priest  Cap,  fig.  12,  is  a  modifica- 
tion of  the  fleehe;  the  short  sides  make  an  angle  of 
90  degrees  with  each  other,  and  are  al)0ut  30  yards 
long;  the  long  sides  make  angles  of  from  70°  to 
100°  with  the  short  sides,  and  are  from  (K)  to  100 
yards  long."     ^lahan. 

00.  "  The  bastion  fort  satisfies  more  fully  the 
conditions  of  a  good  delence,  than  any  other  work; 
but,  owing  to  the  time  and  labor  required  for  its 
construction,  it  should  be  applied  only  to  sites  of 
great  importance,  which  demand  the  presence  of 
troops  during  the  operations  of  a  campaign.  Fig.  \2, 

The  plan  of  the  fort  may  be  a  polygon  of  any 
number  of  sides ;  but  for  field  forts,  the  square  and 
pentagon  are  generally  preferred. 

To  plan  a  work  of  this  kind,  a  square  or  penta- 
gon is  laid  out,  and  the  sides  bisected  by  perpen- 
dicuhrs;  a  distance  of  one-eight  of  the  side  is  set 
off  on  the  perpendicular  of  the  squai-e,  and  one- 
seventh,  on  the  perpendicular  of  the  pentagon;  from 
the  angles  of  the  polygon,  lines  are  drawn  through 
the  points  thus  found  ;  these  give  the  direction  "of 
the  lines  of  defence  ;  from  the  salients  of  the  poly- 
gon, distances,  equal  to  two-sevenths  of  the  side, 
are  set  off  on  the  lines  of  defence  for  the  faces ; 
drawing  from  the  extremity  of  each  face,  a  line  at 
right-angles  to  the  other  line  of  defence,  gives  the 
Jfanks ;  the  interior  extremities  of  the  flanks  are 
connected  by  the  curtain. 

The  side  of  the  polygon  is  termed,  the  exterior 
side ;  the  line  bisecting  it,  the  perpendicular ;  the 
angle  at  the  salient,  the  fa  nked  anffle  ;  that  between 
face  and  flank,  the  shoulder  angle;  that  between 
flank  and  curtain,  the  angle  of  the  curtain;  the 
portion  of  the  work  included  between  two  adjacent 


38 


M.WfAL    OK 


MILITARY    KZC0NNAISSANCE8.  39 

capitals,  is  call^^d  a  bastion  front,  or  simply,  a 
front.  Bastion  fronts  have  neither  dead  angles 
nor  sectors  without  Jire ;  the  salients  and  all  the 
ground  within  reach  of  musketry,  are  swept  by  di- 
rect,- flank  and  cross  fires.  There  is  one  point  in 
this  system,  however,  which  demands  special  at- 
tention ;  the  ditches  of  the  faces  must  be  prolonged 
until  they  meet,  and  all  the  earth  between  them  and 
the  ditches  of  the  f.anks  and  curtain,  be  removed,  to 
prevent  the  formation  of  a.  dead  angle  ahng  each 
face  near  the  shoulder T     Malum. 

91.  All  field  works  consist  of  a  terre-plein — or 
the  free  interior  place  within  them,  some  times 
called  plso,  the  parade"; — a  banquette,  for  the  de- 
fenders to  stand  on  ;  a  parapet,  to  protect  them 
against  the  enemy's  fire ;  a  berm,  to  prevent  the 
earth  of  the  parapet  from  falling  into  the  ditch  ;  a 
ditch,  to  furnish  earth  for  the  banquette  and  para- 
pet; and  sometimes  a  glacis,  to  bi'ing  the  ground 
directly  in  front  of  the  ditch  more  completely  un- 
der the  fire  of  the  defender^. 

The  accompanying  figure','*! 4,  giving  a  section  or 
profile  of  a  work,  will  serve  to  make  it  better  un- 
derstood ;  A  B  is  the  terre-phin;  B  C,  the  slope  of 
the  banquette;  C  D,  the  tread  of  the  banquette  ;  D 
E,  the  interior  slope  of  the  jmrapd ;  E  F,  the 
plongee,  or  superior  slope  of  the  parapet;  F  G,  the 
exterior  slope  of  the  parapet;  G  II,  the  berm  ;  H  I 
R  L,  the  ditch;  II  I,  the  scarp;  I  K,  the  bottom;  K 
L,  the  counter  scarp;  L  M,  the  bey-m  of  the  glacis;  M 
N  P,  the  glacis.  The  iptersection  of  the  interior 
and  superior  slopes  of  the  parapet,  forms  the  in- 
terior crest  or  magistral  of  the  parapet ;  the  inter- 
section of  the  superior  and  exterior  slopes,  the  ex- 
terior crest. 

92.  The  tread  of  the  banquette  should  be  two 
feet  wide  for  one  rank  of  defenders,  and  four  feet 


40 


MANUAL    ()F 


A 


^ 


MILITARY    KECONNAISSANCES.  41 

wide  for  two ;  the  height  of  the  banquette  is  de- 
pendent upon  the  height  of  the  parapet,  the  magis- 
tral being  always  four  and  a  half  feet  above  the 
tread.  The  base  of  the  slope  of  the  banquette 
should  be  twice  its  height.  The  parapet  should  not 
be  less  than  eight  feet  high,  nor  more  (except  in  the 
case  of  bastion  forts)  than  twelve  feet.  The  thick- 
ness of  the  parapet  estimated  along  a  horizontal 
line  drawn  perpendicularly  to  the  exterior  crest, 
should  not  be  less  than  three  feet,  to  resist  mus- 
ketry, and  not  less  than  nine  to  twelve,  to  resist 
artillery. 

The  exterior  slope  is  that  naturally  assumed  by 
the  earth  when  thrown  into  a  pile  ;  the  superior 
slope  produced,  should  not  pass  more  than  three 
feet  above  the  counter  scarp,  unless  there  is  to  be 
a  glacis ;  nor  should  it  pass  below  the  crest  of  the 
counter  scarp.  Care  should  be  taken  in  arranging 
the  superior  slope,  not  to  make  the  interior  crest 
too  weak.  The  base  of  the  interior  slope  should 
not  be  greater  than  one-third  the  height  of  the 
crest  above  the  tread ;  the  earth  being  retained  at 
this  steep  slope  by  a  turf,  hurdle,  gabion  or  other 
revetment.  The  length  of  the  magistral  is  deter- 
mined at  the  i*ate  of  one  yard  for  overy  man  for 
one  rank  of  defenders,  (first  deducting  the  reserve, 
which  should  be  at  least  one-Huli  of  the  whole;)  or 
one  yard  for  every  two  men,  if  there  are  to  be  two 
ranks,  and  five  or  six  yards  for  every  piece  of  ar- 
tillery.    The  berm  should  be  as  narrow  as  possible. 

The  width  and  depth  of  the  ditch  are  regulated 
by  the  quantity  of  earth  required  for  the  construc- 
tions, but  should  be  at  least  two  to  four  yards  deep, 
and  as  many  wide.  The  height  of  the  glacis  and 
the  width  of  its  berm,  depend  upon  the  slope  of  the 
plongee,  and  the  excess  of  earth  furnished  by  the 
ditch.     The  slopes  of  the  scarp  and  counter  scarp, 


42  MANUAL     OF 

should  by  as  steep  as  the  eartli  will  admit;  and 
steeper,  it"  they  can  be  revetted. 

Ill  ench)sed  works,  the  terre-plein  slioidd  be  large 
enough  to  allow  fifty  or  sixty  scjuare  yards  for  each 
gun,  and  one  and  a  half  or  two  square  yards  for 
each  man  ;  alhjwanees  should  be  made,  also,  foi' 
traverses  and  magazines. 

The  parapi'ts  of  bastioned  fjrts  may  be  from  14 
to  24  feet  high,  and  the  exterior  sides  from  125  to 
600  yards  long. 

EMiplaecmeait  and  Dcfiieiiieut  <>1'  Works*. 

93.  Every  work  should  be  so  placed  as  to  com- 
mand the  ground  or  object  which  it  is  intended  to 
covei- ;  its  elevation,  or  relief,  such,  that  its  magis- 
tral should  be  at  least  five  feet  above  any  ground 
the  enemy  might  occupy,  and  eight  feet  above  tlie 
terre-pleiii;  and  be  at  the  same  time  exempt  from 
enfihide  and  plunging  tires.  When  this  is  the  case, 
the  work  is  said  to  be  defiled. 

94.  In  selecting  positions  to  be  fortified  in  broken 
and  mountainous  districts,  care  should  be  taken, 
that  the  "location  be  not  overlooked  by  any  emi- 
nence within  cannon  shot,  that  the  enemy  might 
occupy.  If  there  are  any  such,  they  should  be 
seized  and  foi-tified  also.  It  some  times  happens, 
however,  that  locations  commanded  by  lieights, 
which  may  be  seized  by,  or  be  already  in  the  pos- 
session of,'  the  enemy,  have  to  be  fortified.  In  such 
cases,  the  pi-incipal  lines  should  be  laid  out,  so  as  t(^ 
bring  a  direct  and  cross  fire  upon  all  avenues  by 
which  the  eu'^my  might  advance,  and  so  as  to  allow 
him  only  a  direct  fire  against  them.  The  utmof<t 
care  should  he  taken  so  to  locate  them  as  to  prevent 
him  from  taking  up  a  position  in  the  prolonf/ation 
of  (inij  of  thern.     If  this  can  not  be  avoided,  then 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  43 

the  defenders  along  such  lines  must  be  protected  by 
traverses.  The  relief  of  the  entire  work,  parapet 
and  traverses,  should  be  such  as  lo  protect  the  de- 
fenders from  plunging  and  enfilade  fires.  The  work 
is  then  defiled.  If  the  relief  of  the  parapet  is  made 
sufficiently  high  to  give  the  requisite  protection,  the 
defilement  is  said  to  be  direct;  w^ien  traverses 
have  to  be  employed,  it  is  reverse  defilement.  "The 
defilement  of  field  works  is  not  indispensable  to  a 
good  defence ;  nor  is  it  generally  practicable.  It  is, 
however,  not  only  a  conservative  means,  but  it  also 
inspires  the  assailed  with  confidence ;  for  the  sol- 
dier regards  with  distrust  the  strength  of  his  posi- 
tion, when  he  finds  himself  exposed  to  the  view  of 
the  enemy  from  an  elevated  point."     Mahan. 

95.  The  following  profiles  of  works  constructed 
on  difl'erent  grounds,  will  show  the  methods  of  se- 
curing protection  from  plunging  or  other  fires.  See 
plates  1  and  2. 

Plate  1,  fig.  1.  The  relief  of  a  work  constructed  on 
the  summit  of  an  elevation,  the  ground  descending 
in  every  direction,  should  not  be  more  than  (S^  or 
7  feet;  to  make  the  parapet  higher,  would  be  a 
waste  of  labor. 

2.  On  horizontal  ground,  the  relief  should  be  at 
least  8  feet.  Balls  fired  horizontally  by  inflmtry 
would  strike  the  parapet  about  5  feet  above  the 
ground ;  fired  at  an  angle  of  one  or  two  degrees, 
would  graze  the  interior  crest ;  fired  horizontally 
from  mounted  men,  would  strike  the  lAongee. 

3.  If  a  fleche  had  to  be  constructed  upon  ground 
sloping  from  the  salient  to  the  gorge,  the  ground 
occupied  by  the  enemy  sloping  at  the  same  angle 
towards  the  work,  the  relief  should  be  at  least  8 
feet  to  protect  the  troops  from  balls  fired  parallelly 
with  the  slope  of  the  ground. 

4  and  5.  If  the  ground  slopes  from  the  gorge  to 


44  MANUAL    OF 

the  salient,  and  continues  to  slope  in  the  same  man- 
ner from  the  work  to  that  occupied  by  the  enemy, 
the  relief  should  be  the  same  as  in  the  last  case,  8 
feet ;  but  if  the  ground  occupied  by  the  enemy  is 
horizontal,  or  sloping  towards  the  work,  the  de- 
fenders towards  the  gorge  and  extremities  of  the 
flanks,  or  faces  may  be  reached  by  the  enemy. 

To  remedy  this,  instead  of  increasing  the  relief 
of  the  work,  it  may  save  time  and  labor  to  sink, 
or  dig  out,  the  terre-pleiti ;  or  to  erect  a  traverse 
perpendicularly  to  the  capital  at  the  place  where 
the  salient  ceases  to  protect  the  defenders. 

Plate  2,  fig  1.  If  the  ground  on  which  the  fleche 
or  lunette  has  to  be  constructed,  is  such  that  one 
part  of  the  terre-plein  BC  towards  the  gorge  is 
horizontal,  and  the  other  AB  sloping  towards  the 
salient,  and  that  occupied  by  the  enemy  be  hori- 
zontal or  inclined  towards  the  work,  the  relief 
should  be  8  feet  at  least ;  but  even  then  the  ene- 
my's shots  might  reach  the  defenders  on  the  hori- 
zontal part  of  the  tcrre-plein.  The  remedy  for 
this  case  is  the  s.ime  as  the  preceding ;  sink  the 
terre-plein,  or  erc(.'t  a  traverse. 

2.  If  the  terre-plein  DE  slopes  from  the  salient 
towards  the  goi'gc,  wdiilst  EF  is  horizontal,  the 
ground  occupied  i)y  the.  enemy  being  horizontal  or 
sloping  towards  i  \\e  work  at  an  angle  of  li)  degrees, 
a  relief  of  8  feet  will  be  sufticient  to  cover  the  de- 
fenders. 

3.  Finally,  if  we  have  to  construct  a  lunette 
whose  capital  is  jKuaJlel  to  heights  within  range,  and 
that  slope  towanls  the  work  at  angles  of  20  to  25 
degrees,  we  may  give  the  relief  an  extraordinary 
elevation  of  10  oi*  more  feet,  taking  earth  from  the 
terre-plein  for  that  purpose ;  or  construct  a  tra- 
verse A.  along  the  capital,  from  the  gorge  to  the 
salient. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  45 

96.  There  are,  then,  three  methods  of  protecting 
the  defenders  of  a  work  from  enfidale  and  plunging 
fires:  increasing  the  relief ;  sinking  the  terre-'plein; 
constructing  a  traverse. 

The  elevation  of  the  relief  requires  much  time 
and  labor,  and  many  tools ;  the  necessary  tools  can 
not  always  be  had,  and  the  relief  is  usually  kept 
within  the  limits  of  7^  and  10  feet,  being  seldom 
more  than  8  feet. 

The  sinking  of  the  terre-plein  furnishes  at  the 
same  time  earth  for  the  parapet,  and  allows  a  part 
of  that  from  the  ditch  to  be  applied  to  the  glacis  ; 
in  this  case  steps  have  to  be  cut  for  ascending  the 
the  banquette. 

Traverses  are  an  excellent  means  of  protection, 
when  there  is  time  to  construct  them,  but  they 
take  up  a  great  deal  of  room  ;  they  should  not  be 
joined  to  the  salient,  because  that  part,  called  a  dead 
angle — angle  not  flanked— being  already  weak, 
could  not  be  defended  at  all  were  the  traverse 
joined  to  it.  A  traverse  erected  along  the  capital, 
terminates,  therefore,  at  the  foot  of  the  banquette. 

97.  Following  is  the  method  of  defiling  a  work: 
Plate  3,  figs.  1  and  2. 

Let  A  B  C  D  E  be  the  plan  of  the  interior  crest 
of  a  lunette,  of  which  the  laces  B  C  and  C  D  are 
to  be  defiled  from  the  dangerous  points  H  and  I  to 
the  points  F  and  G  about  20  yards  from  the  ex- 
terior of  those  faces  respectively.  (It  is  usual  to 
defile  works  to  points  about  20  yards  beyond  the 
face  farthest  from  the  dangerous  point,  or  20  yards 
beyond  the  gorges  of  open  works.)  At  B  and  D 
drive  stakes,  also  at  L  and  M ;  0  and  P  mark  the 
stakes  driven  at  B  and  D  ;  cut  off  the  stakes  at  L 
and  M  3  feet  above  the  ground ;  look  over  each 
one  in  the  direction  of  the  opposite  dangerous 
point,  and  mark  the  points  Q  and  R,  where  the  line 


46  MANUAL    OF 

of  sight,  tangent  to  the  dangerous  point,  (3uts  the 
stakes  O  and  P  ;  then  add  8  or  4  feet  to  tlie  heights 
Q  and  R,  and  the  height  of  tho  interior  crest  along 
those  faces  will   be  obtained. 

When  the  crest  thus  obtained  is  so  high  as  to  in- 
volve too  much  labor  in  its  construction,  and  a  tra- 
verse has  to  be  erected  along  the  capital  of  the 
fleche  or  lunette,  or  along  the  diagonal  of  a  square 
redoubt,  or  parallel  to  two  of  its  faces,  the  height 
of  the  traverse  necessary  to  protect  each  face  from 
a  reverse  fire,  is  obtained  in  the  same  way.  The 
traverse  must  be  so  high  that  all  balls  passing  over 
it  from  a  dangerous  point,  must  also  pass  over  the 
crest  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  traverse.  The 
method  is  evident  from  the  diagram. 

A  dangerous  point  is  any  height  from  which  an 
enemy  may  reach  the  defenders  of  a  work  by  di- 
rect fu-ino;  with  musketrv  or  artillery. 

Tlie  Trace  of  ^Vork§. 

98.  Every  work  is  measured  along  the  magis- 
tral or  line  of  fire,  and  that  is  determined  by  the 
number  of  defenders. 

99.  When  the  emplacement,  form  and  height  of 
the  parapet  of  the  different  parts,  are  determined,  a 
stake  is  driven  at  each  extremity  of  the  right  linos 
that  mark  the  plan  of  the  slope  of  the  banquette, 
the  banquette,  parapet,  berm,  ditch  and  glacis; 
then  between  the  two  stakes  of  each  line  a  small 
furrow  is  made  by  means  of  a  cord  stretched  be- 
tween them,  and  some  instrument  for  trenching. 
Fig.  15. 

These  lines  should  be  parallel,  and  correspond- 
ing lines  on  each  side  of  the  capital  should  inter- 
sect on  it. 

100.  The  lines  of  the  plan  or  the  base  having 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES. 


47 


been  drawn,  protiles  at  right  angles  to  the  di- 
rection of  the  parapet  must  be  constnictecl,  at  in- 
tervals varying  with  the  height  of  the  crest  at  dif- 
ferc'.-.t  points. 

The  profile  is  thus  made  :  having  drawn  a  line 
perpendicular  to  the  crest  of  the  parapet,  at  each 
intersection  of  this  line  with  one  of  the  plan,  drive 
a  stake,  and  cut  it  off  at  a  point  above  the  ground 


48 


MANUAL    OF 


equal  to  the  height  of  the  line  at  that  point.  Join 
the  extremities  of  these  stakes  with  stout  lathes, 
and  connect  the  corresponding  points  of  adjoining 
profiles  with  cords.  The  relief  of  the  parapet 
varies  being  less  on  elevated  ground,  impracticable 
and  naturaUy  defiled.     Fig.  10. 


ff^0^'*^^ 


CalcuUUioii  of  tlie  Emtoaiikmeiit  and  Ex 
cavaiiou. 

101.  The  earth  of  the  ditch  serving  for  the 
construction  of  the  parapet,  the  banquette  and  its 
slope,  it  is  important  to  know  in  advance  how 
much  the  banquette  and  parapet  will  require  m 
order  to  determine  the  dimensions  of  the  ditch. 

Earth  newly  thrown  up  occupies  a  greater  vol- 
ume than  in  its  natural  state,  varying  from  1-12  to 
1-8  of  the  original  bulk ;  hence  the  cubic  content 
of  the  ditch  should  be  about  1-10  less  than  that  of 
the  covering  mass — parapet  and  banquette. 


MILITARY    REC0NNAIS8ANCES.  4i) 

The  relation  between  the  embankment  and  exca- 
vation involves  equations  difficult  to  resolve  for 
those  who  have  not  mastered  that  branch  of  math- 
ematics; but  a  result  sufficiently  correct  for  all 
practical  purposes,  can  be  obtained  by  processes 
within  the  reach  of  every  one.     (See  fig.  17.) 

The  profile  of  the  embankment  consists  of  a  tra- 
pezoid A  B  C  D,  (this  figure  differs,  in  most  cases, 
so  little  from  a  trapezoid,  that  it  may  be  regarded 
as  one,)  and  a  trapezium  D  E  F  G ;  the  area  of 
the  trapezoid  is  equal  to  the  half  sum  of  the  two 
parallel  sides  B  C  and  A  D,  multiplied  by  its  alti- 
tude; that  of  the  trapezium  to  the  length  of  the 
diagonal  I)  F,  multiplied  by  the  half  sum  of  the" 
perpendiculars  drawn  to  it  from  E  and  G.  The 
sum  of  these  two  areas  is  the  area  of  the  profile, 
and  multiplying  it  by  the  length  of  the  magistral, 
the  volume  of  the  covering  mass  will  be  obtained- 

[NoTE.  The  volume  obtained  above  is  too  great, 
the  true  content  being  equal  to  the  product  of  the 
profile,  multiplied  by  the  length  of  the  path  its 
center  of  gravity  describes  in  generating  the  cover- 
ing mass ;  but  approximate  results,  only,  are  need- 
ed here.] 

Diminishing  this  result  by  1-10  of  itself,  and  the 
volume  of  the  ditch  is  obtained.  The  length  of  the 
ditch  being  known,  from  the  length  of  the  magis- 
tral, assume  the  width  at  top  and  the  depth ;  then 
dividing  the  volume  of  the  ditch  by  the  product  of 
its  length,  width  at  top  and  half  its  depth,  the  quo- 
tient will  be  the  width  at  bottom.  If  this  is  too 
great  for  the  stability  of  the  scarp  and  counter- 
scarp, the  width  at  top,  or  the  depth,  or  both,  may 
be  diminished;  if  the  result  first  obtained  is  smaller 
than  the  stability  of  the  scarp  and  counter-scarp  re- 
quires, the  width  at  top,  or  the  depth,  or  both,  may 
be  increased. 


60 


MANUAL    OK 


MILITARY     KECOKNAISSANCES.  51 

In  this  way,  a  few  trial  calculations  will  soon  give 
the  unknown  dimension  with  sufficient  accuracy.  If 
a  glacis  is  to  be  constructed,  the  volume  of  the  em- 
bankment, without  diminishing  it,  may  be  used  at 
once  for  determining  the  dimensions  of  the  ditch. 

102.  In  order  to  have  the  work  executed  as 
promptly  as  possible,  the  ditch  should  be  divided 
into  lengths  of  about  four  yards  each,  and  to  each 
part  should  be  assigned  five  hands  :  one  to  loosen 
the  earth;  two  to  shovel  it  on  the  parapet  and  ban- 
quette; one  to  spread  it  in  layers;  and  one  to  ram 
it.  In  ordinary  earth  these  live  men  ought  to  pick, 
shovel,  spread  and  ram  twenty  cubic  yards  per 
day.  When  the  height,  however,  up  which  the 
earth  has  to  be  thrown  is  considerable,  not  so  much 
can  be  done;  and  it  is  frequently  necessary  to 
leave  a  ramp  extending  nearly  to  the  foot  of  the 
counter-scarp,  in  order  that  the  earth  may  be  car- 
ried up  in  hand,  or  wheel-barrows,  baskets  or 
bags. 

It  is  seldom  that  troops,  especially  those  on  out^ 
post  duty,  have  a  sufficient  supply  of  the  tools 
necessary  for  the  construction  of  works,  and  often 
impromptu  ones  of  wood  have  to  be  used. 

A  pestle  for  ramming  earth  is  easily  made,  by 
taking  four  or  five  feet  of  the  trunk  of  a  tree  eight 
to  twelve  inches  in  diameter,  cutting  the  butt  off 
square,  and  trimming  the  other  end  down  for  a 
handle. 

Works  to  cover  an  advanced  post,  should  be  ex- 
ecuted with  the  utmost  celerity  ;  advantage  then 
should  be  taken  of  all  inequalities  in  order  that 
the  least  possible  amount  of  earth  may  be  re- 
moved. The  detachment  should  be  divided  into 
two  equal  parts — one  half  working,  whilst  the  other 
rests  and  w^atches.  In  fortifying  the  summit  of  an 
elevation,  much  less  work  will  be  required  on  the 


52  MANUAL    OF 

liither    than  the  farther  side  of  the  crest.     Night 
should  not  interrupt  the  work. 

.inelliod«  of  CloHiiig^  the  Entrance  of  a 
Mork. 

103.  Strictly  speaking,  an  intrenclunent  is  never 
closed;  even  those  closed  at  the  gorge,  have  an 
opening  for  getting  in  and  out.  This  opening  should 
be  about  a  yard  wide  for  the  passage  of  footmen, 
and  a  yard  and  a  half  for  horsemen ;  it  is  placed 
in  the  side  opposite  to  the  enemy,  and  defended  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  be  no  feebler  there  than  else- 
where. 

1 04.  The  entrance  of  a  redoubt  is  advantageously 
closed  by  a  traverse  on  the  interior,  of  such  a 
length  that  all  shots  fired  from  without,  through 
the  entrance,  whatever  may  be  their  direction, 
shall  strike  the  parapet  of  the  traverse.  The  in- 
terval between  tlie  ditch  of  the  traverse,  if  it  has 
one,  and  the  foot  of  the  slope  of  the  banquette  of 
the  side  in  which  the  entrance  is,  should  be  one 
yard.  This  gives  a  passage,  right  and  left  of  the 
entrance,  round  the  parapet. 

If  the  ditch  of  the  redoubt  is  continuous,  a  pass- 
age way  of  earth  not  having  been  left  opposite  the 
entrance,  a  moveable  bridge  may  be  made  of  two 
pieces  of  scantling  and  a  few  planks.  Tiiis  can  be 
taxen  up  and  put  down  with  great  ease. 

105.  When  time  and  means  allow,  a  redoubt 
may  be  closed  with  a  flcche  in  front  of  the  en- 
trance, leaving  just  room  between  it  and  the  ditch 
of  the  redoubt  to  allow  one  man  or  one  horse  to 
pass.  The  tteche  is  better  than  the  traverse,  be- 
cause the  faces  of  the  fleclie  are  flanked  by  the  re- 
doubt, and  cross  fires  are  thus  obtained. 

lOG.  For  want  of  time  to  construct  a  traverse 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  53 

or  a  fleche,  the  entrance  may  be  barricaded  with 
any  thing  at  hand ;  an  abattis,  also,  may  be  con- 
structed, when  there  are  trees  convenient. 

107.  The  entrance  of  a  redoubt,  or  the  gorge  oi 
any  open  work,  may  be  closed  by  a  "  stockade 
work  made  with  the  rough  trunks  of  trees,  cut  into 
lengths  of  twelve  or  fourteen  feet,  and  averaging  not 
less  than  ten  to  fifteen  inches  in  diameter.  They 
should  be  firmly  planted,  upright,  in  a  narrow  ditch 
three  or  four  feet  deep,  either  close  together,  with 
loopholes  at  suitable  heights,  or  with  intervals  of  a 
few  inches  for  firing  through.  In  either  case,  the  in- 
sterstices  should  be  filled  up  to  a  certain  distance 
with  shorter  pieces  of  timber  to  protect  the  men. 
The  loopholes  should  be  so  high,  that  the  enemy 
may  not  be  able  to  use  them,  should  he  succeed  in 
rushing  up  to  the  work. 

A  banquette  or  step  will  be  required  on  the  in- 
side, whilst  a  ditch,  and  any  other  obstacle  on  the 
outside,  that  can  be  made  in  time,  will  add  to  the 
difficulties  of  an  assault. 

In  defending  a  stockade,  the  means  of  stopping 
up  any  partial  breaches  made  by  artillery,  should 
be  at  hand.''     J  ebb. 

Auxiliary  Defeiice§, 

108.  These  arc  without  number,  but  only  a  few 
will  be  specified.  Barricades  are  formed  of  any 
thing  at  hand :  stones,  beams,  planks,  furniture; 
boxes,  barrels,  wagon  bodies,  bags,  &c.,  filled  with 
sand,  rocks,  manure,  &c.;  cotton  bags,  mattresses^ 
hay,  fodder,  bags  of  wool,  any  thing  and  every 
rhing. 

In  forminir  a  barricade  with  these  heterogeneous 
materials,  take  care  to  place  and  secure  them  m 
such  a  manner,  that  the  enemy,  having  arrived  at 


54  MANUAL    OK 

the  foot,  can  not  displace  them  readily  ;  form  a  sort 
of  plongee  of  the  upper  part  in  order  to  be  able  to 
see  and  fire  over  it ;  make  a  banquette  behind  also, 
so  as  to  be  able  to  reach  the  plongee ;  stop  up  all 
interstices  with  earth,  dung,  stones,  hay,  fodder, 
cotton,  wool,  &c.  A  barricade  should  be  high 
enough  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  firing  upon  the 
■defenders,  or  scaling  it  easily,  but  not  too  high  to 
prevent  the  fire  of  the  defenders  from  being  nearly 
horizontal.  Its  length  should  be  such  as  to  close 
■completely  the  street,  road,  or  other  way  which  it 
blocks  up  and  protects. 

109.  An  ahattis  is  composed  of  trees  cut  and 
thrown  down  towards  the  enemy,  the  limbs  sharp- 
ened, interlaced,  and  secured  by  stout  j:)ickets.  The 
trunks  should  not  be  cut  entirely  through,  but  re- 
main fastened  to  the  stumps ;  the  stumps  being 
three  feet  high.  In  blocking  up  roads  with  abattis, 
or  in  woods,  shrul)beries  and  copses,  the  trees  and 
brushwood  may  be  cut  down  in  every  direction,  so 
as  to  encumber  the  ground  as  much  as  possible. 
When  numerous  they  need  not  be  disposed  in  any 
regular  form. 

110.  "Palisades  form  an  excellent  obstruction, 
and  are  made  thus  : 

Dig  a  trench  2  feet  6  inches  deep,  and  as  many 
wide ;  nail  the  ends  of  the  palisades  to  a  piece  of 
timber  or  a  small  tree  at  the  bottom  of  it;  then  fill 
in  with  earth  and  ram  well. 

The  palisades  should  be  9  or  10  feet  long,  so  that 
when  finished  they  may  project  about  7  feet  to- 
wards the  enemy.  They  should  be  made  of  young 
trees  about  8  inches  in  diameter,  but  stout  rails 
will  answTr. 

When  weak,  a  cross  piece  must  be  nailed  near 
the  top  to  prevent  them  from  being  broken  off. 


MILITARY    REC0NNAISSANCE6.  55 

They  should  not  be  so  close  together  as  to  protect 
the  enemy  when  he  reaches  them."     Jebb. 

Obstructions  of  every  kind  should  be  mul- 
tiplied, in  order  that  the  enemy,  when  advancing 
to  assault,  may  be  detained  as  long  as  possible  un- 
der fire.  By  this  means,  his  ranks  are  thinned  and 
his  men  exhausted. 

IIou!te§. 

111.  "To  defend  a  house,  barricade  the  lower 
doors  and  windows — knocking  all  the  glass  out  the 
latter ; — cut  loopholes  through  the  walls  4^  feet 
above  the  floors ;  place  a  tambour,  or  stockade  re- 
dan before  the  doors ;  partly  barricade  the  win- 
dows of  upper  story,  and  make  loopholes  as  down 
stairs. 

Tear  off  the  roof,  if  not  fire  proof,  and  cover 
upper  floor  with  earth  or  dung  2  feet  deep. 

If  the  house  is  to  be  defended  to  the  last  extrem- 
ity, tear  down  the  stairs,  and  use  ladders  for  com- 
municating between  lower  and  upper  stories;  cut 
holes  through  upper  floor  to  fire  down  ;  place  bal- 
conies in  a  defensive  state. 

All  out  buildings,  fences,  woods,  and  shrubberies, 
not  to  be  employed  in  the  defence,  must  be  leveled 
to  the  ground."     Mahan  and  Jebb. 

Villages. 

112.  ''Being  charged  with  the  defence  of  a  village, 
reconnoitre  the  environs  thoroughly,  to  ascertain 
the  obstacles  to,  and  the  facilities  for,  an  approach 
of  the  enemy.  The  former  omst  be  increased,  the 
latter  destroyed.  Slight  accidents  of  ground  im- 
proved by  shallow  trenches,  speedily  put  troops 
under  shi.'lter. 


56  MANUAL    OF 

When  the  surfjice  is  undulating,  it  should  be  par- 
ticularly examined  with  this  view ;  take  position 
at  different  points  and  direct  men  to  approach, 
stooping  occasionally  to  see  how  much  they  will  be 
masked  from  a  fire  at  different  heights  above  the 
surface.  The  hither  side  of  a  ridge  is  the  best  to 
get  speedy  cover,  but  the  ground  should  be  swept 
from  crest  to  foot. 

Next,  examine  houses,  walls,  hedges,  &c.,  and 
turn  to  account  or  destroy.  In  arranging  the  plan 
of  the  works,  draw  every  possible  advantage  from 
all  obstacles,  natural  and  artificial,  rendering  cer- 
tain points  inaccessible,  procuring  shelter  for  the 
troops,  and  flanking  arrangements  by  means  of 
walls,  hedges,  6zq.  Should  there  be  danger  of  an 
attack  before  the  works  can  be  completed,  break  up 
the  roads  leading  to  the  village,  and  guard  all  ac- 
cessible points  with  cannon.  Barricade  the  streets 
of  the  village,  and  place  the  houses  and  walls  near 
the  barricades  in  a  defensive  position.  In  taking 
these  preparatory  measures  against  a  sudden  attack, 
use  any  means  that  will  afford  protection  against 
the  enemy's  fire — bales  of  cotton  or  wool,  casks  of 
earth,  piles  of  lumber,  &c.  These  various  meas- 
ures will  demand  the  greatest  activity  on  the  part 
of  the  troops,  and  care  should  be  taken  to  employ 
the  men  at  work  with  which  they  are  conversant. 

Place  the  works  so  far  from  the  village,  that  the 
troops  will  not  be  incommoded  by  splinters  from 
them,  or  the  smoke  and  flames,  shoukl  they  be  set 
on  fire. 

Arrange  the  communications  between  the  exte- 
rior defences  and  the  central  rallying  point,  so  as  to 
prevent  confusion,  and  check  the  pursuit  of  the  en- 
emy. The  garrison  should  be  perfectly  familiar 
with  them,  and  the  resources  they  afford.  Make 
short  cuts  through  walls,  houses,  hedges,  &c. ;  and 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  57 

erect  barricades  at  all  points  suitable  for  a  stand." 
Mahan. 

Rog^niat'M  Line. 

113.  '•  Works  covering  extended  positions  and 
presenting  but  one  front,  are  called  Lines.  They 
are  continuous,  or  with  intervals.  • 

Owing  to  their  great  extent,  their  relief  is  slight, 
and  the  simplest  angular  figures  are  adopted  for 
their  plan.  Every  advantage  should  be  taken  of 
the  natural  obstacles,  so  as  to  diminish  the  labor  of 
constructing  artificial  ones.  The  flanks  should  rest 
on  impracticable  ground,  or  be  protected  by  strong 
field  forts. 

Continuous  lines  are  not  suited  for  an  active  de- 
fence ;  they  are,  however,  an  admirable  defence  for 
new  troops,  on  account  (jf  the  confidence  they  in- 
spire. They  serve  also  to  guard  against  surprise, 
and  to  prevent  predatory  excursions  of  small  at- 
tachments of  the  enemy. 

They  consist  of  fleches,  lunettes,  redans,  or  bas- 
tions connected  by  straight  curtains,  or  broken 
lines. 

Lines  with  intervals  usually  consist  of  two  lines 
of  detached  works ;  those  of  the  second  being 
placed  opposite  the  intervals  of  the  first.  The  de- 
tached works  are  usually  lunettes  or  square  re- 
doubts. Lines  with  intervals  are  peculiarly  adap- 
ted to  well  disciplined  and  active  troops.  The  first 
shock  of  the  enemy  is  partially  thrown  away 
against  the  first  line.  Should  he  attempt  to  pass 
through  its  intervals,  he  would  expose  his  flanks  to 
a  close  and  deadly  fire.  If  the  enemy  is  repulsed, 
the  main  body  of  the  army,  drawn  up  in  rear  of  the 
works,  immediately  assumes  the  offensive,  and 
charges  him,  relying  upon  the  works  to  cover  its 
retreat  if  driven  back. 


58 


MANUAL    OF 


Gen.  Rogniat's  System  of  Defence  is  as  follows, 
fig.  18: 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  59 

Points  250  yards  apart  are  taken  for  the  salients 
of  the  lunettes  ;  their  taces  and  flanks  are  placed 
in  defensive  relations ;  between  them,  a  redan  is 
placed  to  flank  the  faces  without  intercepting  the 
fire  of  the  flanks ;  a  straight  curtain  is  carried  from 
the  redan,  and  leaves  an  interval  of  10  yards  be- 
tween it  and  the  flanks  of  the  lunettes  for  sorties. 

The  lunettes  receive  the  minimum  profile  both 
for  parapet  and  ditch;  the  redans  are  simple  epaule- 
ments  to  cover  cannon  fired  in  barbette ;  (over  the 
parapet ;)  and  the  curtains  consist  of  a  trench  \f  ith 
the  earth  thrown  forward  to  form  a  parapet  so  ar- 
ranged as  to  allow  the  infantry  to  march  out  in 
line  of  battle. 

The  advantages  claimed  for  this  line  are :  the 
short  time  required  to  form  the  works — a  night  be- 
ing sufiicient  for  an  army  to  intrench  itself; — the 
lunettes  form  the  first  line,  and  contain  only  infan- 
try; the  artillery  being  placed  in  the  redans  where 
it  is  more  secure,  protects  the  lunettes  and  draws 
the  fire  of  the  enemy  from  them ;  the  curtains  are 
defended  by  infantry,  who  can  sally  from  them  at 
a  moment's  warning,  and,  aided  by  the  cavalry  and 
light  artillery  debouching  through  the  intervals, 
attack  the  enemy  in  flank.  To  secure  the  flanks, 
Gen.  R.  proposes  to  throw  up  a  strong  square  re- 
doubt at  each  extremity  of  the  line,  and  to  place  a 
heavy  battery  between  it  and  the  adjacent  lu- 
nette."    Mahan. 

^  The  following  remarks  on  Lines  are  from  Braba- 
zon: 

"The  battle  of  Pultowa  was  fought  in  1709. 
The  position  selected  by  the  Czar  extended  from 
the  Borysthenes  to  its  tributary  the  Vorskla,  and 
his  front;  which  was  covered  by  seven  large  re- 
doubts, mounted  with  heavy  cannon,  fliced  the 
junction  of  these  rivers ;  so  that  the  Swedish  army, 


60  MAKIAL    OF 

in  the  event  of  defeat,  would  be  driven  and  cooped 
up  into  the  acute  angle  thus  formed  in  its  rear. 

Charles,  with  his  usual  intrepidity,  advanced  to 
the  attack,  and  succeeded  in  carrying  two  of  the  re- 
doubts, which  were,  however,  recovered  by  the 
Russians  after  a  determined  struggle.  It  was  in 
yain  that  ('harles  attempted  to  penetrate  between 
the  intervals;  a  terrible  fire  mowed  down  his 
troops,  who  recoiled  in  disorder  from  the  attack. 
The  Czar,  following  up  his  advantage,  led  his  first 
line  beyond  the  works,  and  pressing  on  the  discom- 
fited Swedes,  converted  their  retreat   into  a  rout. 

*  *****  -5!:  *  * 

Although  the  Russian  troops  displayed  the  great- 
est gallantry  on  this  occasion,  yet  their  success  has 
been  generally  attributed  to  the  fore-sight  of  Peter, 
in  covering  their  front  with  detached  works,  which, 
without  impeding  their  movements,  served  to 
check  the  first  fiery  onslaught  of  the  Swedes,  which, 
like  the  ^Furia  Francese'  in  the  Italian  wars,  had 
so  often  proved  fatal  to  their  enemies.  Before  this 
time  it  was  the  custom  of  timid  generals— and 
they  were  many — to  bury  themselves,  like  moles, 
wnder  vast  and  continuous  lines  of  intrenchments, 
"which,  however,  were  rarely  found  to  afford  the  ex- 
pected security.  Marlborough  made  little  use  of 
«uch  works,  and  his  invariable  success  against 
those  of  the  enemy,  together  with  that  of  Eugene 
at  Turin,  seemed  to  point  out  the  weakness  of  this 
method  of  defence,  resting  on  unbroken  lines,  which," 
mvolving  a  vast  amount  of  labor  in  construction, 
»nd  requiring  to  be  manned  by  very  cousidi-rable 
forces,  were  equally  st?<>:  •  M   points,  !)ccanse 

really  so  at  none.     T!.:  vigilance  of  the 

defenders,  disirlbuL,.'.  ttvA  J  un  immense  extent  of 
ground,  could  rarely  guard  against  a  well  concerted 
surprise ;  while  one  single  attack,  if  successful  at 


MILITAKV    KECONNAISSAKCES.  61 

once,  exposed  the  whole  line  of  defence  to  be  turned 
and  taken  in  reverse.  Far  superior,  then,  to  such 
a  system,  was  that  of  detached  works,  first  de- 
veloped by  Peter  on  the  field  of  Pultowa.  His  re- 
doubts, skilfully  constructed,  supported  one  another 
and  the  whole  line,  and  far  from  cramping — as  did 
continuous  lines — the  movements  of  the  troops 
which  they  were  intended  to  shelter,  they  rather 
facilitated  them  by  affording  so  many  pivots  and 
flank  defences,  and  equally  covering  their  advance 
or  retreat.  His  principles,  always  highly  esteemed, 
were  never  more  so  than  in  our  day.  They  are 
the  principles  of  Torres  Vedras,  of  Paris,  of  Sebas- 
topol ;  principles,  in  fine,  which  have  always  been 
attended  with  success,  and  which  in  future  it  will 
be  dangerous  to  neglect.     *     *     *     * 

Napoleon  and  Saxe  considered  redoubts  the  best 
description  of  field  works." 

Batteries. 

114.  Battery  usually  means  a  collection  of 
guns  ;  in  fortification,  it  also  means  the  arrange- 
ments made  for  firing  over  or  through  a  parapet. 
A  barbette  battery,  is  one  that  fires  over  the  para- 
pet ;  an  embrasure  battery,  is  one  that  fires  through 
openings  in  the  parapet,  called  embrasures. 

The  flanks  and  salients  are  the  best  positions  for 
batteries,  because  from  them  the  salients  are  best 
}>rotected  and  the  ground  swept.  At  these  points 
batteries  of  several  pieces  should  be  collected ;  for 
experience  has  shown  that  an  efficient  check  can  be 
given  to  an  enemy's  columns  only  by  a  heavy  and 
well  sustained  fire. 

The  barbette  is  a  construction  to  allow  a  piece  to- 
fire  over  a  parapet.  It  consists  of  a  mound  of  earth 
thrown  up  against  the  interior  slope ;  the  top  i» 

V 


62 


MANUAL    OP 


level,  2  feet  9  inches  below  the  interior  crest  for 
light  guns,  and  4  feet  for  heavy  ;  if  behind  a  face, 
the  width  along  the  magistral  is  15  to  18  feet,  the 
length,  24  feet.  The  earth  at  the  rear  and  sides 
receives  its  natural  slope.  The  barbette  is  ascended 
by  a  ramp,  or  inclined  plane  of  earth,  10  feet  wide, 
with  a  base  of  6  times  the  altitude.  The  earth  at  the 
sides  has  the  natural  slope.  The  ramp  is  placed  at 
some  convenient  point  in  the  rear,  so  as  to  take  up 
as  little  room  as  possible. 

A  barbette  in  the  salient  to  allow  a  gun  to  fire 
in  the  direction  of  the  capital,  is  constructed  thus, 

%-i9:  ;;,  .  , 


62 


level,  ! 
light  g 
the  wi' 
length, 
receive 
by  a  r 
with  a 
sides  1 
some  ( 
as  litt] 
Ab 
in  the 
fig.  19 


A 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  63 

A  pan  coupe  of  11  feet  is  first  made;  from  the 
foot  of  the  interior  slope  at  the  pan  coupe,  set  off  a 
distance  of  24  feet  on  the  capital ;  at  this  point 
erect  a  perpendicular  to  the  capital  5  feet  long  on 
each  side ;  from  the  extremities  of  this  perpendic- 
ular draw  lines  at  right  angles  to  the  adjacent 
faces ;  the  hexagonal  figure  obtained  is  the  surface 
of  a  barbette  for  one  gun.  The  ramp  is  along,  the 
capital. 

If  3  or  more  guns  are  placed  in  the  salient,  a 
pan  coupe  is  made  as  before ;  24  feet  are  in  like 
manner  set  off  on  the  capital ;  but  instead  of  pro- 
ceeding as  in  the  last  case,  a  perpendicular  is  drawn 
from  this  point  to  each  face,  and  the  pentagonal 
space  formed,  is  taken  for  the  gun  in  the  salient; 
from  the  perpendiculars  last  set  off,  as  many  times 
16|-  feet  will  be  taken  on  the  magistral  of  each  face 
as  there  are  guns  required  :  this  will  give  the  width 
of  the  barbette  on  eacn  face ;  the  length  will  be  24 
feet,  and  the  two  will  be  united  in  the  salient.  One 
or  more  ramps  will  be  made  as  most  convenient. 
Fig.  20.    ^ 

The  advantages  of  the  barbette  consist  in  the 
commanding  position  given  to  the  guns,  and  the 
wide  field  of  their  fire;  on  these  accounts,  the 
salients  are  the  best  positions  for  them.  Their  de- 
fects are,  that  they  expose  the  guns  and  men  to  the 
enemy's  artillery  and  sharp  shooters. 

Light  pieces,  particularly  howitzers,  are  the  best 
for  arming  barbettes ;  because  the  hollow  projec- 
tiles of  the  latter  are  very  formidable,  both  to  the 
enemy's  columns  and  his  cavalry ;  and  when  his 
batteries  are  opened  against  the  salients,  the  light 
pieces  can  be  readily  withdrawn. 

The  embrasure,  fig.  21,  is  an  opening  made  in  the 
parapet  for  a  gun  to  fire  through. 

The  bottom  of  the  embrasure,  or  the  sole,  is  2 


64 


MANUAL    OF 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  65 

feet  9  inches  or  4  feet,  according  to  size  of  gun^ 
above  the  ground  on  which  the  wheels  rest;  it 
slopes  outward  to  allow  the  gun  to  be  fired  under 
an  inclination  ; — the  base  of  this  slope  should  never 
be  less  than  0  times  its  altitude ;  the  interior  open- 
ing or  mouth  is  18  inches  to  2  feet  wide,  according 
to  calibre  of  gun,  and  rectangular ;  the  embrasure 
widens  towards  the  exterior,  which  widening  is 
called  the  sjilay ;  the  exterior  line  of  the  sole  is 
equal  to  half  the  distance  between  the  interior  and 
exterior  lines  of  the  sole.  The  line  bisecting  the 
sole  is  the  directrix ;  the  cheeksj  or  sides  of  the 
embrasure,  are  laid  out  by  setting  off  two  points  on 
the  exterior  crest  of  the  panipet,  one  on  the  right 
and  the  other  on  the  left  of  the  sole,  so  that  the  hori- 
zontal distance  between  them  and  the  sole,  shall  be 
equal  to  one  third  of  their  height  above  it.  Lines 
are  then  drawn  on  the  exterior  slope  from  these 
points  to  the  exterior  points  of  the  sole;  in  the 
same  manner,  on  the  superior  slope  lines  are  drawn 
from  those  points  to  the  upper  points  of  the  mouth 
on  the  interior  crest.  These  4  lines  form  the  boun- 
daries of  the  two  cheeks  on  the  exterior  and  supe- 
rior slopes.  When  the  directrix  is  perpendicular 
to  the  direction  of  the  parapet,  the  embrasure  is 
direct;  when  nut  perpendicular,  the  embrasure  is 
oblique.  Oblique  embrasures  are  laid  out  in  the 
same  manner  as  direct.  The  mouth  increases  in- 
width  with  the  obliquity;  the  exterior  line  of  the 
sole,  is  one  half  the  directrix. 

The  muzzle  of  a  gun  should  enter  the  embrasure 
about  6  inches,  to  prevent  the  blast  from  injuring 
the  cheeks;  this  limits  the  obliquity  of  the  direc- 
trix to  about  60  degrees  for  long  guns. 

The  height  of  the  cheeks  should  not  be  more 
than  4  feet  for  the  same  reason.  The  mass  of 
earth  between  two  embrasures,  is  called  a  merlon. 


•66  MANUAL    OF 

The  advantages  of  embrasures  are,  that  men  and 
guns  are  better  protected  than  in  barbettes ;  but 
they  have  a  limited  field  of  fire,  weaken  the  para- 
pet, and  present  openings  through  "which  assailants 
might  enter.  Owing  to  their  limited  field  of  fire, 
they  are  chiefly  used  to  protect  particular  points — 
as  a  ditch,  a  salient,  a  road ; — the  flanks  are  the 
best  positions  for  them. 

Guns  should  rest  on  platforms,  for  the  ground 
is  soon  worn  into  ruts  under  them.  The  platform 
is  rectangular,  9  to  10  feet  wide,  15  to  17  long, 
consisting  of  three  pieces  of  scantling  6  inches 
square,  and  2  inch  plank. 

Between  the  platform  and  the  parapet  a  piece  of 
scantling  is  placed,  projecting  about  6  inches  above- 
the  platform,  to  prevent  the  wheels  from  running 
against  the  revetment  and  to  give  the  gun  its 
proper  direction  at  night ;  it  is  called  a  heurter. 

The  earth  under  a  platform  should  be  well 
rammed  and  the  sleepers  imbedded  in  it. 

A  platform  may  be  made  of  3  pieces  of  scant- 
ling ;  one  under  each  wheel  and  one  under  the 
trail. 

Bomb  Pi'oofs. 

115.  A  good  bomb  covering  for  embrasure  bat- 
teries can  be  obtained  thus  : 

Make  a  flat  roof,  of  convenient  height,  and  suf- 
ficient length  and  width,  of  two  or  three  layers  of 
large  logs,  and  then  add  4  to  8  feet  of  earth  well 
rammed.  The  logs  of  alternate  layers  should  lie 
the  same  way.  The  sides  can  be  protected  by  walls 
of  logs. 

For  magazines : — Sink  a  pit  10  feet  w^ide,  16 
long  and  6  deep ;  cover  with  one  or  two  layers  of 
logs  12  inches  in  diameter,  and  throw  over  them 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  67 

the  earth  taken  from  the  pit  to  the  depth  of  8  feet. 
The  entrance  is  dug  at  one  end. 

Observation. 

116.  The  construction  of  revetments,  bastion 
forts,  batteries  and  all  complex  works,  should  be 
under  the  supervision  of  a  professional  engineer  or 
artillerist;  but  all  infantry  and  cavalry  officers 
should  have  sufficient  elementary  information  on 
the  subject,  to  enable  them  to  provide  for  the  safety 
and  protection  of  their  men  \vhen  on  detached  ser- 
vice. 

Intrcnelied  Campn. 

116'.  Vauban  proposed  intrenched  camps  as  a 
means  of  strengthening  fortified  places;  ?axe  pro- 
tested against  fortifying  towns  and  cities  altogether, 
on  account  of  the  great  sufferings  to  which  non- 
combatants,  as  invalids,  women,  and  children,  must 
necessarily  be  exposed  during  sieges ;  Louis  Phi- 
lippe, following  the  inspiration  of  Napoleon  and 
others,  fortified  the  heights  around  Paris,  but  at 
such  a  distance  from  it,  that  the  citizens  must  ever 
be  exempt  from  the  horrors  of  blockades  and  bom- 
bardments. 

Nature,  said  Saxe,  is  stronger  than  art ;  select, 
therefore,  such  points,  other  than  towns  and  cities, 
where  the  natural  obstacles  are  greatest,  and 
strengthen  them  by  earth  works,  using  masonry 
only  when  absolutely  necessary. 

But,  to  carry  out  Saxe's  humane  proposition, 
would  be  to  abandon  all  towns  and  cities  to  the  rav- 
ages of  the  enemy,  and  to  give  up  to  him  all  the 
vast  stores  of  every  kind  which  naturally  accumu- 
late there.     Moreover,  it  would  tend   to  draw  a 


08  MANUAL    OF 

line  of  demarcation  between  the  civilian  and  the 
soldier,  the  ultimate  result  of  which  would  be,  to 
isolate  the  citizen  completely,  and  to  make  him,  per- 
haps, a  mere  spectator  of  a  game  of  chess,  and 
utterly  indifferent  as  to  the  issue. 

Louis  PhiJlipe  fortified  Paris  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  accomplish  the  objects  of  both  Vauban  and 
Saxe,  viz: — to  give  to  the  city  the  support  of  an 
army  intrenched,  and  to  exempt  the  inhabitants 
from  all  the  horrors  of  a  siege. 

Intrenched  camps,  are  not,  as  a  general  rule, 
constructed  until  war  has  been  declared,  and  only 
at  such  places  favorable  for  resisting  an  invasion  or 
to  prevent  the  capture  of  an  important  town. 
TTowever,  the  more  important  works  for  the  de- 
fence of  a  capital,  arsenal  or  navy  yard,  especially 
if  they  are  to  be  of  masonry,  should  be  constructed 
before  hand,  and  an  accurate  plan  of  all  the  others 
necessary  to  copiplete  the  defence,  be  kept  con- 
stantly on  hand.  Every  advantage,  in  locating  and 
erecting  the  works,  must  be  drawn  from  the  ground, 
in  order  to  diminish  ub  .tcll  their  number  as  their 
extent  and  relief.  As  it  would  be  impossible  to 
defile  an  intrenched  camp,  it  should  be  so  located 
as  not  to  be  dominated  by  adjacent  heights.  The 
bastion  trace  is  the  best,  though  the  broken  line 
and  the  line  of  redans  may  also  be  employed  with 
advantage,  especially  on  adjacent  lines  forming 
reentering  angles.  Fig.  22  gives  Vauban's  idea  of 
an  intrenched  camp.  It  is  connected  with  the  for- 
tified town,  or  fortress,  and  consists,  as  much  as 
possible,  of  continuous  works  along  long  lines,  j?o 
as  to  diminish  the  points  of  attack. 

The  parapet  is  9  feet  high,  and  18  feet  thick  ;  the 
ditch,  15  feet  deep;  the  whole  surrounded  by  a 
goo'd  glacis  ;  the  naWexxt^  /raised  or  palisaded. 

[A  /raise  consists  of  stakes,  trunks  and  branches 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES. 


69 


of  trees  projecting  from  the  benn  over  the  ditch, 
to  prevent  an  escalade.] 

Fig.  23  gives  the  phin  of  an  intrenched  camp 
separated  from  the  fortified  town,  the  interval  being 
such  as  to  be  easily  swept  by  the  tire  from  both 
town  and  camp. 

By  this  arrangement,  the  circumvallation  or  sim- 
ple blockade  of  the  place,  becomes  much  more  dif- 
ficult, because  the  place  and  camp  occupy  so  much 
more  room ;  moreover,  being  separate  from  each 
other,  the  capture  of  one  does  not  necessitate  that 


70 


MANUAL    OF 


of  the  other,  ail' I  the 


besiege*  1 


beinjx  masters  of  the 


communicntion,  c 
other  at  will. 


m  send  assistance  from  one  to  the 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  71 

Fig.  24  gives  the  plan  of  an  intrenched  camp, 
the  lines  not  being  continuous.  The  angles  of  the 
polygon  are  occupied  by  small  but  strong  forts, 
heavily  armed,  and  the  right  lines  joining  them  by 
fleches,  redans,  lunettes  or  redoubts,  as  the  configu- 
ration of  the  ground  may  require. 

Lines  with  intervals  are  more  favorable  for  offen- 
sive defence  than  continuous  lines  ;  and,  when  pro- 
tected by  heavy,  and  especially  well  drilled  troops, 
are  to  be  preferred.  In  such  a  camp,  that  of 
Buntzelwitz  under  the  cannon  of  Schvveiduitz,  the 
Great  Frederick  with  an  army  of  40,000  men  bade 
defiance  to  the  allies  with  three  fold  forces.  His 
camp  was  traced  and  constructed  in  four  or  five 
days. 

Fig.  25  shows  to  what  extent  one  wing  of  an 
army,  supported  by  a  strong  fort,  may  be  weak- 
ened with  safety.  [See  Note.]  Pivoting  on  such 
a  fort,  all  the  cavalry  and  artillery  may  be  with- 
drawn from  the  wing  thus  supported  in  order  to 
strengthen  the  other,  and  enable  it  to  make  an  over- 
whelming attack  upon  the  enemy,  if  the  wing  ad- 
vanced is  sufficiently  strong  to  take  the  offensive. 

The  wing  thus  advanced,  however,  is  always  sub- 
ject to  one  great  danger,  that  of  being  out-flanked, 
and  attacked  in  front  and  reverse.  If,  therefore,  the 
wing  thus  advanced  is  not  protected  by  strong 
natural  obstacles,  .field-works  will  have  to  be  erect- 
ed. But  a  change  of  direction  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy,  will  require  a  corresponding  one  on  the 
part  of  the  defensive  army,  the  abandonment  of  the 
works  first  constructed,  and  the  erection  of  new 
ones  for  the  protection  of  the  wing  exposed.  It  is 
desinible,  then,  to  have  in  the  vicinity  of  fortresses 
and  important  towns,  points  of  support  to  ftivor  the 
manoeuvres  of  a  defensive  army,  and  between 
which  it  can  change  front  without  danger,  in  order 


72 


MANUAL    OF 


to  face  the  enemy  from  whatever  direction  he  may 
come. 

Gen.  Rogiiiat  resolves  the  problem  thus :  Es- 
tablish four  small  but  strong  torts  around  the  place 
to  be  defended  ;  it  being  in  the  centre  of  the  large 
square  thus  formed.  [Fig.  26.]  These  forts  closed 
on  all  sides,  should  be  placed  on  the  most  advan- 
tageous heights,  about  2,500  to  3,500  )'ards  from 
the  place,  and  6,000  to  8,000  yards  from  each 
other.  The  space  between  any  two  forts  would 
form  a  field  of  battle  capable  of  receiving  an  army 
of  50,000  to  100,000  men,  and  might  be  regarded 
as  impregnable ;  the  forts  armed  with  heavy  can- 
non, would  support  the  wings  perfectly,  and  the 
line  could  be  strengthened  at  intervals  by  field 
works  thrown  up  as  occasion  might  require.  These 
four  forts  circumscribing  the  place  to  be  defended, 
would  with  it  form  a  vast  intrenched  camp,  pre*- 
senting  four  fronts  or  four  diflerent  fields  of  bat- 
tle ;  so  that  fiom  whatever  side  the  enemy  might 
come,  the  defensive  army  could  face  him.  The 
ordinary  guard  of  such  a  camp  would  be  reduced 
to  that  of  the  four  forts,  or  not  more  than  800  men, 
and  perhaps  200  or  400  at  the  place  itself  in  order 


al- 


seiiting  four  Ironts  or  four  dill cmTrnei as  oi  Da^ 
tic;  so  that  from  whatever  side  the  enemy  might 
come,  the  defensive  army  could  flice  liim.  The 
ordinary  guard  of  such  a  camp  Avould  be  reduced 
to  that  of 'the  four  forts,  or  not  more  than  800  men, 
and  perhaps  200  or  400  at  the  place  itself  in  order 


MILITARY    KECONNAISSANCES.  73 

to  protect  the  supplies  aecumulfited  there  for  the 
support  and  reoriiJiiiization  of  armies. 

It  is  easy  to  vary  the  arrangement  of  the  fortifi- 
cations, so  as  to  adapt  them  to  the  location,  and  to 
profit  by  all  the  advantages  which  nature  otters.  If 
;he  town  is  on  ;i  river,  as  often  happens,  there 
should  be  numerous  communications  between  the 
banks  above  and  below,  so  that  several  columns 
:nay  cross  from  one  to  the  other  at  the  same  time. 

If  the  country  is  flat,  then  on  each  bank  there 
should  be  two  forts  so  as  to  command  the  river, 
;aid  the  other  two  thrown  forward  so  as  to  form 
the  summits  of  two  triangles  having  the  river  for 
a  common  base.  IJivers,  however,  are  usually 
accompanied  by  heights  more  or  less  distant,  upon 
which  the  forts  must  necessarily  be  constructed. 

The  range  of  projectiles  is  now  so  gi-eat,  that  for 
the  better  protection  of  an  important  town,  it 
would  be  well  to  surround  it  by  live  or  six  forts  so 
as  to  increase  their  distance  from  the  town,  and  at 
the  same  time  leave  a  field  of  battle  between  any 
two  contiguous  ones.  Troops  that  allow  themselves 
to  be  cooped  up  in  towns,  are  invariably  despised 
by  the  citizens. 

The  advantages  of  these  intrenched  camps  are 
many  and  great ;  they  cannot  be  left  behind  by  the 
enemy,  because  his  communications  and  supplies 
would  thereby  be  endangered ;  nor  cixn  he  mask 
them  by  an  inferior  force ;  nor  attack  them  with- 
out greatly  superior  forces.  ^Vhen  he  does  attack 
them,  he  will  have  to  do  so  by  regular  approaches, 
which,  on  account  of  the  extended  lines  of  the  be- 
•  sieged,  will  be  subjected  to  all  the  disadvantages' 
of  a  concentrated  fire  from  numerous  batteries. 
The  power  of  concentrating  a  heavy  fire  from  nu- 
merous dispersed  v/orks,  has  hitherto  been  the 
prerogative  of  the  bcsi.egers ;  henc<?forth,  the  new 
a 


1  \  MANUAL    ();'• 

system  of  detencc  oilers  it  in  a  givut  ineasiire  to 
the  besieged  also.  Morever,  being  unable  to  en- 
tirely invest  the  besieged,  they  can  receive  rein- 
forcements and  supplies  almost  at  will,  and 
withdraw  in  comparative  ease  and  safety  whenever 
the  position  may  become  untenable,  l.ast,  but  not 
least,  the  town  thus  defended  will  be  nearly  always 
exempt  from  the  horrors  of  bombardment  and 
famine. 

The  defence  of  Sebastopol  partaking  more,  per- 
haps,.of  the  character  of  an  intrenched  camp  than 
a  fortified  town,  shows  what  wonders  determined 
forces  protected  by  simple  earth  works,  can  accom- 
plish. The  works  for  the  defence  of  Sebastopol 
were,  unfortunately,  too  near  the  town  j  conse- 
quently it  was  reduced  to  a  ruin  before  the  besieg- 
ers got  possession  of  it. 

During  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  the  land  de- 
fences of  Charleston  and  Savannah  were  too  near 
the  towns ;  let  them  now  be  defended  by  works  of 
u  greater  circumference.  Jackson's  defence  of  New 
Orleans  in  1815,  shows  that  he,  even  at  that  time,  un- 
derstood the  importance  of  meeting  the  enemy  in 
a  fortified  position  at  a  distanc^^  from  th<:  place  to 
])e  protected. 

The  general  application  of  these  principles  to  tho- 
defence  of  our  more  important  cities,  as  Rich- 
mond, Charleston,  &c.,  is  evident ;  their  modifica- 
tion and  special  application  to  any  particular  place, 
will,  of  course,  depend  upon  an  intelligent  study 
of  the  topography  of  the  environs. 


Note.— The  classical  schular  is  referred  to  Cavsar's  African  War, 
(Chapters  XLI,  XLII  and  L,)  for  two  early  instances  of  this  order  of 
battle. 

In  the  first  instance  Scipio,  having  the  fortified  town  of  Uzita  in  liis 
center,  offered  Ca-sar  battle,  which  Ca-sar  declined ;  in  the  second, 
Ca'sar,  having  strengthened  his  right  wing  by  defensive  works,  formed 
a  triple  line  of  battle  on  his  left,  sent  all  liis  cavalry  thither,  and 
i'lTcred  Scipio  battle,  which  Scipio  dcclincil. 


CilAPTER  IV. 
Fiarli^aii  Warfare. 


(ilSNERAL      DIRECTIONS. 

117.  Do  to  the  cuciiiy  as  niuck  injur//  as  possll>le^ 
ud  avoid  receiving  any  from  him. 
Never  exhibit  a  rash  valor  loithout  nccefisity  ;  it 
^s•  always  prejudicial  to  the  success  of  enterprises. 
True  valor  exhibits  itself  on  the  proper  occanion  to 
d£cide  an  a  fair  ;  temerity  is  foolish,  and  rarely 
succeeds. 

Men  being    the  soul   of  vxir,  their  preservation 
should  be  the  principal  object  of  their  chirf.    As  he 
:hould  know    when    to   sacrifice    them    to  gain   a 
triumph,  so  he  should  avoid  engaging  them  for  neg-  _ 
ative  results. 

Never  fire  except  when,  certain   of  hitting :  this 
<ioes  ammunition  and 2)rese)'ves  the  anus  in  good 
condition  for   a  critical  moment ;  for   one   never 
knows  at  the  commencement  of  an  engagement,  how 
or  when  it  will  end.     Shots  fired  at  a  distance  de- 
stroy ammunition  and  do  little  or  no  co?npensating 
^amage  to  the  enemy.    Troops  of  all  nations  commit 
/^e  fault  of  making  much  noise  luithout  necessity 
•  ud  without  effect. 

Troops  that  advance  without  firing  at  a  distance, 

isconcert  their  adversaries  and  nearly  alivays  make 

: hem  fly,  without  experiencing  much  loss  themselves, 

iid  keep  their  arms  and  ammunition  in  good  order. 

Before  the  enemy,  ivatch  at  night,  and  sleep  in 

(he  day  when  possible  ;  it  is  the  only  way  to  avoid 

or  defeat  surjyrises. 


T(J  MANUAL    OF 

To  he  o,t  the  look  out,  is  dictated  hif  reason  an. 
2ii'ude)ic€  ;  secnriti^/  before  the  eiieno/,  has  of  ten  beer 
severehj  punished.  Trust  to  no  one  the  secret  of 
'projected  opexatio)LS ;  the  least  indiscretion  ma\ 
cause  the  best  conceived  and  best  vi.andfjed  enterpris 
to  fail. 

• 

Caii1oii]iiciil«. 

11?S.  If  the  cantonment  is  Ix-lore  llio  enoniy,  th;" 
entire  dctaolmient  should  be  assembled  in  the  same 
place,  as  a  church,  granoje,  dic.tlie  men  keeping  on 
a  part  of  their  clothing  the  whole  time,  especially 
their  Itreeches  ;  the  horses,  if  the  f:>rce  is  of  c*av- 
alry,  should  be  kej)t  at  hand,  one  half  remaining 
saddled  and  liridled,  so  as  to  be  i-eady  to  repulse 
an  attack. 

I'i  the  enemy  is  at  some  distance,  the  men.  are 
billeted  by  twos  and  fotirs  in  the  houses  nearest  the 
.place  of  assembling. 

In  both  cases,  a  police  guar<l  with  a  drummer  o; 
trumpeter,  should  bo  posted,  and  advanced  }K>sts 
placed  on  the  communications  by  which  the  enemy 
might  debouche;  these  posts  furnish. one  or  twr 
sentinels.  During  the  day,  the  posts  may  be  calle<I 
in,  and  a  watch  placed  on  an  eminence  or  high 
buildinof,  to  give  notice  of  the  approach  of  the  ene- 
my. This,  however,  can  be  done  only  in  an  open 
countr-y- 

The  chief  of  a  detachment  should  see  tliat  j>er- 
sons  and  ju'operty  are  protected ;  take  measures 
^Vith  the  local  authorities  for  securing  subsistence 
for  his  troops,  and  make  the  distributions  regularly 
and  legally.  In  an  enemy's  country,  he  should 
jnagazine  pro\isions  and  forage  procured  by  re- 
quisition or  otherwise,  and  have"  the  cattle  and 
sheep  parked.  Above  all  things,  he  should  remem- 


MILITARV    RECONNAISSANCES.  77 

ber  that  order  is  the  onhj  means  to  maintain  Jam- 
self  for  a  long  time  loith  limited  resources,  ivhilst 
pillage  inevitably  prepares  cruel  privations  for  the 
future. 

Before  the  enemy,  he  should  himself  reconnoitre 
to  a  great  distance  all  the  roads  and  especially  those 
leading  to  his  cantonment,  destroying  most  of  them 
for  some  distance  with  coupures,  barricades  and 
abattis,  to  avoid  placing  posts  on  them;  but  he 
should  have  them  watched  by  flying  sentinels  or 
vedettes.  If  he  has  received  orders  to  hold  the 
place  to  the  last  extremity,  he  should  loop-hole  the 
most  solid  and  best  situated  houses,  so  as  to  gain 
cross  fires  upon  the  point  or  passage  to  be  defended, 
and  collect  every  thing  necessary  to  construct  bar- 
ricades in  the  promptest  manner. 

We  speak  here  only  of  small  detachments  can- 
toned in  villages  and  hamlets,  and  of  small  parties 
of  the  enemy  that  may  be  out  reconnoitering,  for- 
aging, marauding,  &c. ;  for  from  the  moment  that 
these  points  become  of  any  great  military  impor- 
tance, they  will  be  occupied,  defended  and  attacked 
with  means  not  at  the  command  of  the  chief  of  a 
small  detachment.  The  capture  and  recapture  of 
a  village  located  on  an  important  communication, 
has  often  been  tlie  occasion  of  fierce  and  bloody 
combats.  The  chief  of  a  detachment  should  have 
all  the  artisans  necessary  for  maintaining  it  in  good 
condition,  and  the  transportation  necessary  foi*  a 
precipitate  departui-e,  and  for  procuring  and  send- 
ing off  provisions. 

Grand  Canard*,    Piekci    Pot^t'*,  SenSiiiels 
siii€l  Vedettes. 

119.  Grand  Guards  having  to  furnish  the  picket 
i  'osts  placed  upon  the  communications  in  front,  as 


7W  MANUAL    OK 

well  as  the  patrols  necessary  to  explore  the  coun- 
try, should  be  placed  where  the  communicatior.s 
commence  to  radiate,  and  at  1,200  or  1,500  yard-, 
in  advance  of  the  main  body,  on  a  main  route,  at 
the  fork  of  several  roads,  in  a  field  enclosed  with 
walls,  ditches,  or  hedges,  at  the  edge  of  a  forest, 
the  head  of  a  bridge,  oi*  under  some  shelter  that 
A\'ill  conceal  them  frojii  the  sight  c>f  the  enemy. 

The  small  or  picket  posts  arc  placed  at  the  forks 
of  the  i-oads,  400  or  500  }'ards  in  advance  of  the 
grand  guards,  behind  some  house,  bank  of  earth, 
wall,  hedge,  oi'  I'idge. 

The  sentinels  or  vedetets  are  placed  100  (m-  150 
yards  in  front  of  their  posts,  along  the  roads,  paths 
and  other  communications  that  lead  to  them,  and 
imder  the  shelter  of  some  object  that  will  conceal 
them  from  the  sight  of  the  enemy,  but  will,  never- 
theless, allow  them  to  look  all  around;  they  shouM 
not  be  placed  too  near  any  covered  ground  which 
the  enemy  might  slip  up  to,  and  surprise  them. 

The  chief  of  a  ]>icket  ])Ost  should  conform  strict- 
ly to  the  instructions  given  him  by  the  chief  of  the 
grand  guard. 

As  soon  as  the  chief  oi'  one  of  these  advanced 
posts  has  ai-rived  at  the  place  assigned  h.im,  he 
should  thoroughly  I'cconnoitre  its  envii-ons,  the 
routes,  roads,  paths  and  other  communicatio)is  lea<l- 
ing  to  it,  the  ravines,  sinks,  quarries,  walls,  hedges, 
&c.,  l)y  which  the  enemy  might  approach  ;  also  the 
roads,  paths,  &c.,  leading  to  the  grand-guard,  so 
that  he  may  readily  j'ejoiu  it  in  case  of  attack  ;  this 
done,  he  should  examine  the  arms  and  ammunition,; 
and  have  the  fornior  loaded  in  his  presence.  '' 

An  advance  post  l^efore  tlie  enemy,  should  keep 
itself  conc^-'aled.  remain  silont,  without  firo,  change 
its  position  fi-equeutly,  and  annou.nce  the  approach 
of  the  eneniv  by  t!)o  proper  signrd^. 


MILITARY    U2C0NNAISSANCES.  79 

When  a  post  changes  its  position,  it  should  be 
(lone  at  night,  in  silence,  v/ithout  noise,  and  with 
celerity,  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  observing  the 
jnovement. 

Advanced  posts  beiiig  in  general  too  feeble  to 
reconnoitre  or  force  a  position,  shonid  not  waste 
time  in  skirmishing,  and  thus  expose  themselves  to 
he  taken;  but,  having  reconnoitred  the  enemy, 
should  tali  back  upon  the  grand  guard,  by  the  road.> 
and  paths  indicated  in  advance.  However,  there, 
are  cases,  when  protected  on  their  flanks  and  num- 
bering oO  men  or  more,  they  are  ordered  to  main- 
tain their  posts  at  all  hazards.  They  should  then 
intrench  themselves  as  well  as  possible,  behind  n 
coupure,  an  epaulement,  a  barricade,  or  an  abatti.'+, 
according  to  locality. 

The  chief  of  an  advanced  post  should  sleep  only 
during  the  day,  remaining  awake  during  the  entire 
night,  and  keeping  always  half  of  his  men  on  the 
watch.  They,  however,  should  be  relieved  every 
o  or  4  hours.  Every  evening,  he  should  inspect 
the  arms  and  ammunition,  see  that  the  men  place 
them  where  they  will  not  be  injured  by  moisture, 
and  can  be  readily  seized  in  case  of  an  alarm  ;  and 
that  the  men  take  ofl'  no  part  of  their  equipments 
and  clothing. 

An  hour  before  day  he  should  have  all  his  luen 
under  arms,  and  send  a  corporal  and  3  or  4  men 
to  examine  the  ground  several  hundred  yards  in 
advance  of  the  sentinels,  to  discover  any  attempt, 
of  the  enemy  at  a  surprise.  He  will  omit  sending 
out  his  patrol  when  the  grand  guard  attends  to  thi^ 
duty. 

A  sentinel  or  vedette  should  always  be  ready  to 
lire,  holding  his  musket,  carbine  or  pistol  ready  for 
that  purpo5?e.  He  shoiild  avoid  giving  unnecessary 
alarm,  and  onlv  tire  when   he  sees  the  enemv  dis- 


80  MANUAL    OF 

tinctly.  Even  when  resistance  on  his  part  is  use- 
less, he  must  fire ;  and  if  surprised,  seized  and  un- 
able to  fire,  he  should  cry  out,  to  give  the  alarm. 
The  safety  of  the  post,  and  that  of  the  troops  en- 
camped or  bivouacked  in  the  rear,  may  depend 
upon  it. 

If  a  sentinel's  post  is  so  far  that  he  can  not  be 
heard,  two  should  be  stationed  there,  in  order  that 
one  may  come  to  bear  any  intelligence,  whilst  the 
other  stays  and  watches.  During  the  day,  the 
approach  of  the  enemy  may  be  announced  by 
signs  previously  agreed  upon — as  a  handkerchief, 
or  other  object,  held  up  in  a  particular  manner.  At 
iiight,  sentinels  are  placed  in  low  places  rather  than 
on  heights,  in  order  that  they  may  distinguisli 
against  the  sky  objects  moving  about.  They  should 
always  be  posted  behind  some  object,  (in  order 
that  they  may  observe  without  being  seen,)  and 
their  position  changed  every  night.  They  should 
know  the  road  and  the  way  through  fields  and 
woods  to  rejoin  their  posts  in  case  of  an  approach 
of  the  enemy. 

To  prevent  seiit!::i  is  and  vedettes  from  being 
•surprised,  signals  m.iy  advantageously  precede  the 
challenge  or  the  c-niiitersign.  if  they  precede  the 
challenge,  the  soiitiael  gives  the  first — the  chal- 
lenged pai-ty  answ<MN,  and  the  sentinel  says,  "  Ad- 
vance, and  give  the  countersign."  If  they  do  not 
precede  the  chalien2;^',  the  sentinel  says,  "Ilalt;"  the 
challenged  party  hi  Its,  and  gives  the  first  signal; 
the  s(nitinel  answers,  and  says,  "Advance,  and 
give  the  corLUtersiirn  "  When  challenging,  the  sen- 
tinel must  always  luake  ready  to  fire.  If  the  chal- 
lenged party  refuse's  to  halt,  when  ordered  to  do 
so  twice,  or  if  he  gives  the  wrong  signal  or  coun- 
tersign, or  several  advance  upon  the  sentinel  at  the 
same  time,  he  must  ilre  and  hasten  t*.)  h'~    '-•'^^^. 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  81 

Persons  on  horseback  should  be   required  to  dis- 
mount, before  advancing  to  give  the  countersign. 

When  an  advanced  post  is  not  strong  enough  to 
furnish  sentinels  to  guard  all  the  avenues,  flying 
sentinels  should  be  sent  out,  to  go  Irom  one  to  the 
other  and  examine  all  tiie  covers  of  e-s'ery  kind  be- 
tween them,  in  which  an  eneniv  might  conceal  hiiii- 

SP.lf. 

At  night,  sentinels  should  frequently  phice  their 
(\'irs  to  the  ground  and  listen  for  the  approach  of 
men  and  horses ;  the  silence  of  the  night  frequently 
ullowjs  them  to  be  heard  at  a  great  distance. 

When  a  noise  is  heart!  in  .tlie  direction  of  any 
>entinel,  the  chief  of  the  post,  with  a  guard,  im- 
mediately goes  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  it. 

Cavalry  posts  and  patrols  are  usually  some  dis- 
tance in  front  of  the  infantry.  They  observe  the 
same  precautions  as  the  others. 

The  following  method  of  posting  grand-guards, 
vSjc,  has  its  advocates,  and  is  perhaps  the  best : 

Divide  the  belt  of  country  in  front  of  the  army, 
and  for  a  considerable  distance  on  each  flank,  into 
a  series  of  out-posts,  and  to  each  assign  a  battalion 
of  sufficient  strength  to  furnish  the  requisite  nuni- 
•ber  of  advanced  posts  and  yet  have  a  good  reserve 
left.  This  battalion  should  be  drawn  from,  a  sin- 
gle regiment,  and  not  be  composed  of  detachments 
from  several.  The  reason  is  obvious — the  men  and 
oflicers  all  know  each  other. 

The  accompanying  diagram  will  explain  moj-e 
clearly  than  words,  the  disposition  of  the  sentinels, 
iiie  advanced  or  picket  posts,  &c. 

(1.)  is  the  chain  of  sentinels  placed  at  suitable 
distances  apart.  (2.)  the  line  of  picket  posts,  con- 
sisting each  of  a  non-commissioned  officer,  and  o 
to  ()  privates.  (:3.)  is  100  yards  or  so,  in  rear  of 
(1.)     (•>.)  is  the  line  of  picket  post  reverses,  each 


S-  MANUAL    OF 

<il  suflieient  strength  to  relieve  the  pieket  posts 
occasionally,  and  to  send  patrols  to  the  front.  (4.) 
and  (5.),  small  poscS  at  suitable  intervals  between 
(o.)  and  (().),  the  battalion  or  out-post  reserve. — 
half  a  mile  or  so  in  rear  of  (3.).  The  dots  repn- 
sent  sentinels. 

(1-) 

(a.) _ 

(3.)    - —    -    -      — 

(4.)  -  - 

(5.)  .  _  - 

((!.)  . 

The  line  of  sentinels  is  usually  curved — not 
straight — the  concave  part  towards  the  reserve. 

/sL^dviiBiecd  Guards,  aiicE  the  Mjiniter  of  Ex- 
acitmiFig:  tfie  Guard. 

120.  The  chief  of  the  advanced  guard  of  a  de- 
tachment of  any  kind,  should  never  quit  the  road 
the  detachment  follows,  and  should  precede  it 
about  ()00  or  800  yards.  lie  questions  the  inhabi- 
tants and  all  persons  coming  from  the  side  of  the 
enemy,  and  stops  all  endeavoring  to  go  in  that 
direction :  if  he  gets  information  of  such  a  nature 
to  stop  the  march  of  the  detachment  or  change  its 
direction,  he  immediately  notifies  the  commander 
of  it. 

Whethei'  the  ground  is  open  oi-  covered,  lie  has 


MILITAKV    KKCONNAISSANCSS.  83 

it  examined  in  front  and  on  iiank  by  small  parties 
•onsisting  of  o  or  more  men:  he  gives  them  clear 
md  precise  instructions  what  to  do  in  case  they 
meet  the  enemy  on  the  march  or  in  ambuscade — 
what  signals  to  give  to  indicate  where  they  are,  and 
to  stop  the  march  of  the  grand  guard. 

These  scouting  parties  should  consist  of  at  least 
i  men,  so  that  if  one  is  captured  or  killed,  the 
■  >ther  may  give  the  alarm  by  firing  and  rejoining 
"he  advanced  guard.  Whatever  may  be  the  num- 
ber of  scouts,  not  more  than  one  half  should  be 
employed  to  examine  any  suspicious  ground,  &;c.; 
ho  other  half  remaining  at  some  distance  and 
watching:  foi',  if  all  should  enter  any  forest,  house. 
Jiamlet,  or  village,  they  might  all  be  seized  by  the 
.'uemy,  and  no  one  would  then  remain  to  give  the 
alarm  to  the  advanced  guard.  On  reaching  a  ham- 
let or  village,  the  scouts  examine  the  houses  and 
'Uiclosurcs  one  by  one;  those  who  remain  watching, 
keep  on  the  alert,  and  each  one  takes  care  not  to 
lose  sight  of  his  companion.  Those  who  enter, 
•question  the  inhabitants  on  the  march  of  the  ene- 
my, his  strength  and  kind  of  troops;  they  should, 
also,  closely  watch  the  changes  of  countenance  of 
the  inhabitants;  observe  whether  the  horses,  oxen, 
wagons,  &c.,  are  in  their  accustomed  places,  &c. 
When,  in  examining  a  hamlet  or  village,  the  scouts 
arc  sufficiently  numerous,  a  chain  of  them  should 
be  thrown  around  it,  to  prevent  the  escape  of  any 
one  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy,  should  he  be  in 
the  environs. 

When  two  scouts  wish  to  examine  a  house,  one 
('nters,  the  other  holding  himself  near  at  hand  and 
on  the  alert;  if,  at  the  end  of  several  minutes,  the 
latter  does  not  see  his  comrade,  he  calls  him,  and 
if  he  does  not  answer,  he  hastens  to  inform  the  ad- 
vanced guard,  or  makes  the  proper    signal  if  the 


84  MANUAL    OF 

enemy  is  in  sight:  if,  however,  his  comrade  re- 
appears, they  go  on  and  examine  each  house,  en- 
closure, &;c.,  in  the  same  manner. 

When  a  wood  or  ravine  is  to  be  examined,  tlio 
scouts  keep  at  a  good  distance  from  each  oth<^r  ; 
the  most  advanced,  examine  all  the  accidents  of  the 
ground  before  them,  whilst  the  others  keep  a  good 
look  out  in  every  direction. 

If  a  scout  discovers  an  ambuscade,  and  is  at  the 
same  time  seen  himself  by  the  enemy,  he  fires  and 
hastens  to  the  advanced  guard ;  if  he  is  surprised 
and  seized,  so  as  to  be  able  neither  to  tire  nor  cry 
out,  his  comrade,  not  seeing  him  reappear,  will 
hasten  to  inform  the  advanced  guard. 

The  scouts  should  observe  every  thing  and  in 
every  direction — clouds  of  dust  and  their  direc- 
tion— the  barking  of  dogs  in  a  general  and  extra- 
ordinary manner — the  flight  of  birds  from  any 
single  direction — the  tracks  of  men  and  horses  in 
the  dust  and  mud — all  indicating  the  presence  of 
bodies  of  troops.  Flat  and  open  grounds  should 
not  be  neglected,  because  the  shallowest  ditch  or 
ravine,  bushes  and  growing  crops  2  feet  high,  or 
even  less,  ma}^  conceal  a  detachment  in  ambuscade, 
lying  flat  upon  the  ground,  and  waiting  fur  the  mo- 
ment to  act. 

When  the  scouts  on  the  flanks  find  roads  or  paths 
leading  to  the  route  followed  by  the  detachment, 
they  examine  them  for  some  distance,  to  see  that 
the  enemy  cannot  suddenly  dobouche  from  them, 
and  attack  the  flanks  of  the  column ;  they  frequent- 
ly climb  trees  to  reconnoitre  the  ground  for  a  long 
distance  around  ;  they  question  all  the  inhabitants 
they  meet,  and  retain  those  Avho  appear  suspicious, 
or  who  attempt  to  escape  in  the  direction  of  the 
enemy. 

On  meeting  the  enemy,  when  wishing  to  indicate 


M  T  L  rr  A  ti  V    K  K  C  O  N  .V  A I  f  S  .\  N «:  Ef^ 


*f 


their  position,  of  to  notify  the  advance*!  ir-Qard  tjo 
halt,  or  march  on,  they  make  the  proper  signal,     j 

The  satety  of  the  detachment  depeiidinLj  upon  the 
^u'tivity  of  llie  scouts,  and  the  vii^rihinee  of  the  chief 
of  the  advanc<}d  ^uard,  tlic  latter  marcJies  with  the 
utmost  circums]}ection  ;  studies  the  progress  and 
signals  of  the  scouts  ;  keeps  silence  in  ranks  ;  does 
not  permit  his  men  to  scatter,  go  int<.>  houses  to  et^t 
or  drink,  or  into  fields,  orchards,  and  vineyards,  tso 
gather  fruit ;  he  takes  advantiige  of  localities  wheife 
there  is  nothing  to  fear,  such  as  lieights  and  opcji 
fields,  to  relieve  his  scouts  by  others  less  l;itigue<l. 

If  the  country  is  unknown,  and  the  forks  of  tlife 
r '  >ads  numerous,  he  t^Tkcs  a  guide  at  eacli  hamlet  Or 
.ilhige,  whom  he  obliges  to  go  with  him,  and  at. 
each  branch  ot  the  road,  he  le.aves  a  soldiei-  to  ija- 
form  the  commander  of  the  column  of  the  rouHo 
taJvcn,  or  leaves  some  sign  previously  agreed  up«»n, 
to  direct  him. 

On  meeting  the  enemy,  lu^  assembles  the  ad- 
vanced guard,  and  sends  an  intelligent  man  to  the 
rear,  to  give  information  of  it.  lie  then  reconnoi- 
tres the  enemy,  and,  if  he  finds  ho  has  to  do  wit^^. 
superior  forces,  he  falls  bade  slowly,  without  skit- 
mishing,  to  rejoin  the  column.  If  pursued  by  the 
enemy,  and  atta,cked,  he  divides  his  men  into  two 
equal  party,  places  one-half  in  one  rank  on  eadi 
side  of  the  road,  so  as  to  offer  less  mark  to  the  et- 
emy,  and  continues  his  retre&t,  stopping  only  wheh 
his  men  can  deliver  an  effectual  volley,  at  short  dis- 
tance, from  some  good  shelter.  If  he  discovers  t.h$t 
he  cannot  join  the  column  before  being  attacked  by 
the  enemy's  cavalry,  he  will  unite  his  men,  throw 
out  skirm.ishers,  and  endeavor  to  reach  the  flankss 
or  rear  of  the  column  by  cuttir^g  across  the  fields.| 

If  the  country  is  so  level  and  open  that  the  cav- 
alry can  pursue  him,  he  will  form  his  men  in  a  ci}- 
a  ■   1 


86  MANIAL    OK 

cle  around  him,  and  i-csist  the  attack  as  best  he  can, 
taking  advantage  of  every  opportunity  to  place  his 
men  in  a  ftivorable  position — on  an  eminence,  across 
a  ditch,  under  trees,  &c. — and  to  continue  his 
retreat. 

The  march  of  every  army,  isolated  column,  or 
detachment,  should  he  protected  by  a  cloud  of 
scouts  and  skirmishers,  so  arranged  as  to  envelop  it 
completely  ;  and  this  cordon  should  be  so  tar  from 
the  main  body,  and  be,  at  the  same  time,  so  con- 
nected with  it,  by  means  of  supports,  patrols,  &:c., 
that  it  may  always  receive  timely  notice  of  all 
movements  of  the  enemy  within  striking  distance. 
The  dispositions  of  an  advanced  guard,  when  feeling 
for  the  enemy,  and  of  a  rear-guard,  when  retiring 
before  him,  may  be  conceived  from  the  diagram  for 
out-post  duty.  Under  the  circumstances  mentioned, 
advanced  and  rear  guards  should  consist  of  troops 
of  all  arms,  but  the  proportion  of  light  cavalry 
should  be  considerable — so  considerable,  indeed, 
that  the  country,  for  a  considerable  distance  in  front, 
and  on  both  flanks,  may  be  completely  inundated 
by  this  class  of  active  and  most  ethcient  troops.  A 
great  superiority  in  this  class  of  troops  often  de- 
cides a  campaign. 

Figures  27  and  28  show  the  march  of  advanced 
patrols  of  "fifteen  and  thirty  men  respectively  : 

%  /■  -'  C 


M I L  T  T  .\  n  V    n  K  C  0  >r  x  .*.  T  S  '^"  a  x  ■  E  =: . 


Escorl*. 


12].  Tiie  chief  of  a  detachnicMit  charged  with  es- 
corting a  convoy  in  an  enemy's  country,  will  make 
the  following  dispositions : 

Before  cojiimencing  the  march,  he  will  inspect  the 
arms  and  have  them  loaded  in  his  presence,  and  di- 
vide his  detachnient  into  f(jur  pai-ts  :  one-fourth  for 


^  MA  MAI,    OK 

(lii  atlvancod  ^uurd,  one-tburth  for  a  n>ai-;4u:irJ,  (M^i>- 
f^urth  on  each  side  of  the  convoy. 

;  ir  the  road  is  sufficiently  wide,  he  will  arran^^o 
the  wagons  in  two  or  three  ranks,  and  the  pack 
^ijorses  in  5  or  0.  The  advanced  guard  will  inarch 
400  yards  in  front  ;  the  rear  guard,  the  ^>anne  dis- 
tance behind. 

I  The  advance<i  guard  will  throw  out  sc(»uts,  and 
tiike  all  the  pi-ecautions  descril)ed  in  the  prec^^ding 
section,  ll'  a  defde,  or  any  covei'cd  and  dani^^erous 
crround  ]>resenls  itself,  the  convoy  will  be  halted  un- 
ijl  it  has  been  minutely  examined  by  the  scouts,  and 
the  signal  ''All  ^afc  "  made,  when  it  will  resume  th6 
exarch.  ^ 

;  The  convoy  should  never  be  halted  upon  eovcnx.1 
and  broken  ground;  the  teams  should  never  be 
tfiken  from  the  wagons,  nor  the  pack  horses  ladoaJ 
ed,  except  at  •'  grand  halts,"  and  they  .should  be 
i]jear  water.  At  "grand  halts,"  the  wagons  or  packs 
are  formed  into  a  s^juarc,  so  that,  in  ciise  of  attacl:, 
tKey  may  used  as  a  sort  of  breast  work  or  barri- 
cade, In  resisting  the  attack.  Some  skirmishers 
v.'ill  be  placed  in  front  at  sonn^.  dlstan^ce,  who  will 
inform  .the  convoy  at  the  fn-st  signal.  As  soon  as 
the  enemy  makes  his  appearance,  the  skirmishers 
will  open  i'liv,  and  endeavor  to  delay  him  as  much 
as  possible;  during  this  time,  the  teams  will  be 
hitched  to  the  wagons  and  the  pack  horses  loaded; 
and  tlie  convoy  will  then  advance  or  retreat,  accord- 
ing to  circumstances,  protected  by  its  skirmishers 
and  escort.  If  tlu'  CTiemy  is  too  strong  for  the  ad- 
va.nce  or  retreat  to  be  continued,  the  convoy  wili 
be  halted  on  some  strong  position  and  pai'ked.  The 
skirmishers  will  not  enter  the  square  until  the  last 
moment ;  the}'  should  even  be  reinforced  or  relieved, 
for  it  is  important  to  keep  the  enemy  at  a  distance 
U'fnn  the  coii\-ov  as  ]n\)i  i\s  rios-sible. 


I.-iLiTAKY     RECONNAISSANCES.  8*J 

If,  being  15)  that  position,  aiRl  having  exhausted 
the  greater  part  of  his  ammunition,  the  chief  dis- 
covers that  he  can  resist  no  longer,  he  will  kill  the 
horses,  set  five  to  the  wagons  and  packs:  and,  all  hav- 
ing been  destroyed,  form  his  men  in  close  column, 
and  open  a  way  through  the  enemy  at  the  point  of 
the  bayonet. 

All  that  has  just  bem  saicLwiil  apply  to  the  es- 
cort (jf  a  genera!  otncei-  oj-  a  bearer  of  dispatches  ; 
if  the  escort  is  atiack<'d,  it  will  form  in  square  or 
circle  around  the  (jfriccrs,  and  continue  the  march  in 
advance  or  in  retreat,  as  the  ca^e  may  be — halting 
and  charging  the  enemy,  whenever  necessary. 

If  it  is  impossible  to  resist,  and  there  is  no  chance 
of  safety,  the  dispatches  must  be  destroyed  before 
surrendering. 

There  are  two  inetliods  of  pai'king  wagons:  1°, 
by  placing  them  so,  that  the  tongues  will  be  per- 
pendicular to  the  side  of  the  square,  and  either 
within  it  or  without ;  2^,  by  placing  thein  so  that 
the  tongues  will  be  parallel  to  the  side  of  the  square. 
The  latter  is  the  best,  gives  opportunity  for  a  larger 
square,  and  better  protects  the  men  and  horses. 
Intervals  between  adjacent  \yagons,  sufilciently  wide 
for  one  ma'i  to  pass,  must  occasionally  be  If^il. 

122.  Conceding  ordinary  intelligence  and  caution 
to  the  enemy,  it  is  easily  seen  that  it  is  ^i  dlfiicult 
matter  to  post  an  ambuscade  so  that  it  c;ia:iot  be 
discovered,  and  that  it  may  have  the  dcsit-rd  suc- 
cess. The  problem  to  solve  is'  this  :  post  an  am- 
buscade so  that  the  enemy  can  neither  discover  it, 
nor  escape  it  when  he  }jas  once  fallen  into  the  snare,, 
and  at  the  same  time,  secure  ;i  retreat  in  case  he  is 
succored  by  ii  strouL;-  reinforcement. 


m 


The  proper  pLuvs  tor  }H)Sling  an  niribu^icade  are — 
llic  toot  of  hills,  ddiles  formod  ])v  iorestv'*,  isolatod 
houses,  haiTilots,  vilhiges,  ciK'ioseiir(\s,  thick  he<igei», 
yinks,  ravines,  fi>rks  of  roads,  fields, covered  with 
growing  crops  of  siiflicient  height,  die,  <!tc. 

An  ambuscading  party  is  always  divided  into 
three  part^ :  F,  the  liead,' or  advanced  guard,  to 
cut  off  the  eneniy's  advance  when  he  has  fallen  into 
the  snare ;  "2°.  the  centre,  or  main  body,  to  attack 
the  enemy  on  both  ilanks  at  tlie  sanjc  tinie  ;  3",  the 
tail,  or  rear-guard,  to  cut  off  his  retreat.  The  head 
and  tail  may  consist  each  of  one-sixtli  of  the  de- 
t'achmc]it,  the  centre  bcin  composed  of  the  remain- 
ing two-thirds.  Secrecy  Ijcing  the  soul  oi"  all  mili- 
tary enterprises,  he  who  has  command  of  an  am- 
buscade should  make  known  his  iiUentions  and  dis- 
positions o)ily  when  he  has  arrived  upon  the  ground. 
There  he  gives  to  each  chief  of  division  his  instruc- 
tions— which  sliould  relate  to  the  maimer  of  con- 
c^'alinsj  his  men — regard  beinu*  had  to  the  localities — 
to  the  signal  of  attack  l>y  the  centre,  the  coopera- 
tion of  the  head  and  tail,  and  fuially  to  the  reunion 
of  the  detachment  and  the  retreat,  in  case  of  fai hire. 

Ambuscades  siiouid  be  placed  as  near  as  possible 
tb  the  road  which  the  enemy  is  to  follow  ;  but  if 
the  enemy's  tntops  are  veterans  and  well  skilled  in 
war,  it  will  1k^  brsfc  to  post  them  farther  olf,  but 
-Still  suHiciently  near  to  be  able  to  take  position  on 
the  road  after  his  scm^uis  have  passed  and  Ixjfore  his 
main  ])ody  Was  come  up.  To  do  this,  the  ground 
must  be  thoroughly  studied,  and  some  woods  or 
ridges  should  he  plac(^d  betwt.x!n  tliedetachnu^ntand 
the  road,  to  conceal  its  |x)sition  from  th<>  enemy. 
Some  men  slioitld  )h^  sent  up  trees  to  ol)serve  every 
thing,  and  gi\e  notice,  by  means  <)f  proper  signals, 
iff  the  movcjr.ent.s  of  the  enemy. 

A)inbi;v;r<i>:-<  shcMiM.  if  r.ossibhs  Ik-  »m)s',<m.1  in  s<^.'h 


MILITAUV    RECONNAISSAN'CSS.  01 

a  maiuier  tluit  tlie  enemy  must  have  marched  a  long 
time  and  be  fatigued  t)€tbre  arriving  at  them ;  for 
tired  and  worn-out  troops  bewme  careless  and  are 
more  cfisily  surprised. 

The  detachment  destined  for  an  ambuscade,  should 
reach  its  position  the  night  before,  and  arrive  at  it 
by  a  road  perpendicular  or  opposite  to  that  by  which 
the  enemy  sliould  c^juie,  and  post  sentinels  and  ve- 
dettes in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent  anyone  from 
going  towards  the  enemy. 

Jf  the  ground  to  be  passed  over  is  such  as  to  re- 
tain the  foot-prints  ot  the  troops,  they  should  march 
in  single  file,  and,  if  inHmtry,  be  instructed  to  step 
in  the  tracks  of  those  in  front,  so  as  to  present  the 
appearance  that  only  a  few  men  have  gor.e  along  the 
route. 

An  aml)uscade  is  sometimes  successfully  conceal- 
ed by  sending  a  small  detachment  a  little  in  advance 
of  it,  with  instructions  to  skirmish,  but  to  assume 
the  appearance  of  being  surprised  and  in  alarm,  and 
to  retre^at  over  ground  nearly  uncovere<3.  Under 
these  circuinstances,  the  enemy  sometimes  forgets 
liis  safety  by  indulging  in  a  hot  pursuit  of  a-fevv- 
men,  who  seem  easy  to  take,  and  thus  fall  in  the 
trap.  This  ruse  is  old,  but  still  always  new  ;  and 
it  but  rarely  fails  to  succeed. 

jf  there  are  roads  and  paths  on  -the  flank  of  the 
ambuscade,  that  is  to  say,  leading  to  it,  they  should 
be  dcvstroyed  for  some  distance  by  eoupures  or  abai- 
tis,  in  order  that  the  enemy  may  not  escape  by 
them,  but  only  insure  his  destruction  by  entering 
them. 

Should  the  ceJitre  succeed  in  getting  quit^  near 
the  enemy  without  being  perceived,  a  gun  will  be 
fired  as  the  signal  of  attack  ;  each  will  then  prompt- 
ly single  out  his  man  and  fire ;  the  head  and  tail 
will  throv/  themselves  on  the  road  and   hasten  to 


92  MANUAL    OF 

wards  the  enemy  ;  in  the  meantime,  the  centre,  still 
concealed,  will  load,  and  approaching  nearer,  fire 
again.  It  is  important  that  the  assailants  should 
take  advantage  of  the  trees,  hedges,  tfec,  and  fire 
upon  the  enemy  without  exposing  themselves  ;  oth- 
erwise the  enemy  might  retaliate,  and  the  afiaii- 
might  thus  become  equal. 

If  the  enemy  has  horses,  they  should  be  ivilled  or 
wounded  in  order  to  dismount  the  men,  and  stop 
the  wagons  if  any. 

When  success  has  crowned  an  ambuscade,  the 
chief  should  assemble  his  men,  disarm  the  prison- 
ers, take  possession  of  the  supplies  captured — trans- 
porting them  by  the  aid  of  the  captured  horses,  or 
by  those  taken  from  the  inhabitants,  and  return  as 
rapidly  as  possible  to  the  main  body  or  position 
from  which  he  set  out. 

If  the  enemy  should  receive  an  unexpected  rein- 
forcement, the  detachment  must  hasten  to  the  place 
of  assembly  indicated  beforehand,  and  then  retreat 
in  good  order,  carrying  off  all  the  prisoners  and  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  supplies  captured. 

Should  the  chief  discover  resistance  to  be  use- 
less, he  will  send  off  the  prisoners  under  a  sufficient 
escort,  destroy  the  supplies  captured,  and  fall  back 
skirmishing. 

When  dispatches  have  been  seized,  they  must  be 
sent  off  immediately  by  some  trusty  officer,  and 
thus  avoid  the  risk  of  having  them  recaptured  by 
the  enemy. 

When  a  convoy  is  to  be  attacked,  spare  horses, 
ready  harnessed,  must  be  taken  along  to  suj)ply  thi- 
places  of  tliose  killed  in  tlie  wagons.  If  the  am- 
buscade is  successful,  all  stores  captured  that  can 
not  be  transported,  must  be  destroyed. 


WILITAHY    liSCONSAISBANCKS.  93 

JPatroJj*. 

123.  Patrols  before  the  enemy  are  an  excellent 
means  of  maintaining;  tlie  viiril'ince  of  the  advanced 
r)osts,  sentinels  and  vcdcttt^s,  and  for  instructing 
yountr  officers ;  they  are  furnished  by  the  grand 
guards,  and  have  to  discharge  duties  similar  to  those 
4'f  advanced  guards  in  an  eneiuy'^  country,  as  far 
ns  scouting  and  examining  the  ground  are  concerned; 
!'Ufc  with  this  diflerence,  that  patrols  are  sent  out 
only  at  night,  and  instead  <.'f  constantly  following 
any  comm.unication  whatevc  r,  they  scour  the  entire 
country  for  500  yards  or  so,  in  front  of  the  ad- 
vanced ]K)sts  and  sentii:els. 

Officers  called  to  command  these  patrols  should 
reconnoitre  during  the  day  the  country  to  be  passed 
<»ver  in  the  night,  in  order  that  they  may  not  get 
lost  and  fall  into  the  enemy's  hands.  The  patrol 
should  be  strong  en(;ugh  to  send  out  scouts  to  the 
front  and  on  both  Hanks,  the  main  body  waiting,  in 
silence  and  under  arms,  tiieir  return.  Cavalry  pa- 
trols should  be  careful  not  to  .take  alon.":  horses  ad- 
dicted to  neighing. 

In  all  cases,  the  patrol  should  frequently  stop 
•und -remain  in  absolute  silence — some  listening, 
with  ear  to  the  ground,  for  footsteps  of  man  or 
horse,  and  endeavoring,  if  any  are  heard,  to  ascer- 
tain their  strength  and  the  direction  of  their  march. 

If  two  patrols  meet,  for  it  is  well  to  send  them 
«>ut  in  diflerent  directions  so  that  they  may  cross 
each  other,  they  can  readily  make  themselves 
known  by  the  proper  signals  and  challenges.  If  a 
party  of  the  enemy  is  met,  one  iialf  of  the  patrol 
will  iiro,  and  then  all  will  hasten  to  the  grand 
ij^uard,  Ujt  patrols  are  not  intended  to  light  the  ene- 
my, but  merely  to  learn  his  position.  All  senti- 
nels hearing  the  alarm,  will  return  to  their  posts. 


f)4  jManual  of 

The  chief  of  the  patrol  will  send  a  messenger  at 
full  speed  to  inform  the  nearest  advanced  post  and 
grand  guard,  and  the  latter  will,  in  the  same  man- 
ner, notify  the  main  body. 

The  advanced  post  united  to  the  patrol,  will 
await  the  enemy  in  order  to  reconnoitre  him,  and, 
deploying  as  skirmishers,  will  delay  his  advance  as 
much  as  possible  in  order  to  give  the  grand  guard 
and  principal  body  time  to  assemble  and  make 
their  dispositions  to  receive  him.  Troops  camped 
or  bivouacked  before  "the  enemy,  should  take  arms 
an  hour  before  day,  and  not  break  ranks  until  after 
the  return  of  special  patrols  sent  to  the  front  some 
time  before  day,  to  examine  the  ground  in  front  of 
the  sentinels  and  vedettes,  in  order  to  discover 
whether  or  not  the  enemy  has  made  any  arrange- 
ments for  a  sudden  attack  about  day  light. 

124.  it  often  happens  during  war,  that  Jai-ge  dij^- 
tricts  are  entirely  deserted  by  their  inhabitants  at 
the  approach  of  an  invading  army;  this  e.\trem( 
measure,  counseled  by  fear  or  by  the  forces  defend- 
ing the  district,  deprives  the  arm.y  of  its  resources 
for  subsistence,  because  the  inhabitants  conceal  or 
destroy  all  that  they  cannot  can-y  olT  with  them. 
The  expedition  to  Portugal,  in  1810,  suifered  mucii 
from  this  measure,  which  was  not  only  advised  bui 
enforced  by  the  English  army. 

Now,  to  subsist  the  army,  if  it  is  not  followed  by 
long  provision  trains,  and  it  is  impossii)le  to  have 
them  in  sufTisient  numbers  for  a  large  army  for  any 
length  of  time,  recourse  has  to  be  had  to  maraud- 
ing parties;  they  are  regularly  organized,  and  sent 
out  to  scour  the  country  and  gather  up  every  thing 
that  will  do  to  sustain  life  in  man  or  beast. 


MILITARY    KECONKAI53ANCES.  95 

Before  setting  out,  the  chief  should  supply  him 
self  with  a  sufficient  number  of  wagons  and  teams, 
or  pack  horses,  and  in  his  march  will  conform  to 
all  that  has  been  prescribed  for  the  conduct  of  the 
escort  of  a  convoy,  as  well  as  what  follows. 

Arriving  near  a  wood  or  forest,  the  chief  halts 
the  convoy,  parks  it,  and  sends  half  of  his  men  to 
surround  the  wood,  whilst  others  are  sent  in  to  ex- 
amine it.  These  searches  frequently  discover  not 
only  horses  and  cattle  concealed  in  the  woods,  but 
men  placed  there  to  guard  them,  and  who  can  make 
known  other  places  where  cattle  and  provisions  are 
secreted.  Reaching  a  village,  hamlet  or  town,  the 
convoy  is  halted  again  ;  the  advanced  guard  enters 
and  examines  it  carefully  as  a  precaution  against 
ambuscades.  When  the  place  has  been  thoroughly 
examined,  and  is  pronounced  clear  of  the  enemy, 
the  detachment  enters  and  takes  military  possession 
of  it.  (See  Cantonments.)  The  chief  divides  his 
command  into  parties  of  8  or  10,  placing  a  sergeant 
or  corporal  in  charge  of  each,  and  sends  them  out 
to  gather  every  thing  that  can  be  found.  These 
small  parties  examine  the  houses  from  top  to  bot- 
tom,— sounding  the  walls  to  fmd  concealed  doors  of 
closets,  &c., — the  out-houses,  walls,  hedges,  wells, 
gardens,  d:c.,  &c.  Places  under  houses,  in  yards 
(►r  gardens,  where  the  earth  has  been  lately  moved, 
should  be  carefully  examined. 

The  supplies  found  are  carried  to  some  place  se- 
lected for  the  purpose,  deposited  on  the  ground,  and 
the  pack  horses  and  wagons  are  immediately  load- 
L*d ;  for  it  is  important  not  to  waste  a  moment  of 
time,  but  to  get  back  to  the  main  body  as  soon  as 
possible.  The  chief  should  see  that  his  men 
do  not  load  themselves  with  booty  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  the  provisions  sought  for. 

The  army  in  Portugal  supported   itself  in  this 


96  MANUAL     DF 

way  from  the  ist  of  October,  1810,  to  the  beginning 
of  'Mnrcn,  1811.  Each  corps  had  to  send  out  ma- 
raudiiii,^  partie;?.  Many  of  these  were  cut  olf  by 
the  inhabitants,  the  Portugese  and  English  troops, 
as  well  as  all  men  \^•ho  m  antlored  otT  singly  or  in 
small  numbers. 

Fora^sring;  f^arlleis. 

125.  Detachments  going  out  to  gather  green 
for;^^e  consist  of  those  who  nv(t  to  gatlier  the  forage 
and  load  the  wagons,  and  those  who  are  to  protect 
the  operation. 

The  troops  for  the  protection  of  the  forageri= 
proper,  should  re^ch  the  indicated  place  by  day 
break,  and  in  advance  of  the  wagons ;  they  imme- 
diately seize  and  guard  all  the  avenues  by  which 
the  enemy  might  dcbouche — small  posts  are  estab- 
lished on  the  roads;  sentinels,  vedettes  and  patrols 
thrown  out.  The  main  body  then  occupies  some 
central  position,  known  to  all  the  small  posts,  the 
wagoas  arc  stationed  on  the  road  leading  to  the 
camp,  and  the  operations  begin.  The  foragers  cut 
the  grass,  clover,  greeii  oats,  wheat,  corn,  &c.,  iL< 
the  case  may  be,  load  one  wagon  at  a  time,  and 
start  it  immediately  off;  then  another,  and  so  on. 
In  this  way,  should  the  enemy  make  his  appearance, 
a  part  of  the  forage  may  be  saved,  whilst  all  may 
be  lost  by  waiting  for  the  entire  convoy  to  start  off 
together.  At  the  first  signal,  all  the  unloaded 
wagons  leave  for  the  camp. 

The  sentinels  and  vedettes  are  so  places.!  as  to  l>e 
able  to  see  to  a  great  distance,  and  to  communicate, 
pn^mptly  with  each  other,  their  posts  and  the  main 
body  by  means  of  signs  previously  agreed  upon, 
A  suitable  signal  announces  the  approach  of  th(^  <5n- 
emy.     As  soon  as  heard  or  soen,  the  forages  pre- 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  07 

pare  to  depart;  the  sentinels  and  vedettes  join 
their  posts;  these  hasten  to  the  main  body  at  the 
indicated  place,  and  the  cliief  immediately  makes 
his  arrangements  to  resist  the  enemy  and  protect 
the  convo}^ ;  which  in  the  mean  time  files  rapidly 
to  the  rear.  One  third  to  one-half  of  his  force,  is 
thrown  out  as  skirmishers,  who,  protecting  them- 
selves as  well  as  they  can  by  all  the  accidents  of 
the  ground,  endeavor  to  keep  the  enemy  at  a  dis- 
tance ;  in  this  manner  he  conducts  the  retreat, 
fighting  the  whole  way  and  disputing  every  foot  of 
ground,  until  the  convoy  lias  got  sullicicntly  far  to 
the  rear  to  be  safe.  The  skirmishers  may  then  be 
called  in,  and  the  retreat  conducted  more  rapidly, 
but  still  in  order,  and  with  every  precaution  to  re- 
sist an  attack,  or  to  make  one,  according  to  circum- 
stances. 

If  the  convoy  has  to  pass  through  a  defile  in  its 
retreat,  the  escort  will  maintain  its  ground  until  the 
entire  convoy  has  entered,  and  not  enter  itself  un- 
til all  the  skirmishers  have  been  rallied ;  if,  how- 
ever, the  flanks  of  the  defile  are  not  inaccessible,  the 
skirmishers  will  hold  them  instead  of  entering  the 
defile,  and  will  join  the  escort  at  the  exit.  The 
remainder  of  the  escort  will  enter  the  defile, 
and  fire  by  platoon  or  company  in  retreat,  if 
closely  pressed ;  or  will  deploy  as  skirmishers,  if 
the  enemy  has  artillery,  and  retire  by  ranks. 

Dry  forage  is  collected  in  the  same  manner  and 
with  the  same  precautions,  as  green.  Detachments 
tor  this  purpose  are  usually  sent  to  farm  houses, 
hamlets  and  villages.  If  few  or  no  inhabitants  are 
met,  the  party  acts  as  if  on  a  maraud. 

The  escort  of  a  foraging  party  acts  as  an  ad- 
vanced guard  in   going,  and   as   a   rear   guard  on 
the  return.     Every  precaution  should  be  taken  to 
ijuard  against  a  surprise  or  an  ambuscade ;  and,  if 
I 


1>^  MANIA  I.    ():• 

llu'iv  is  any  (lani:[er  of  a  Hank  attack,  going  or  re- 
turning, the  escort  sliould  take  all  the  proc-ini-i'^.'  s 
i'.lready  detailed. 

Blou«l^,  Bri<]i;€M  and  Ford«». 

1 :2i'K  \n  selecting  the  emplacement  of  a  post,  canr 
should  be  taken  so  to  locate  it,  that  the  enemy's 
li'ont  must  be  contracted  as  he  approaches  it ;  that 
it  shall  not  be  coniinanded  by  neighborinir  heights  ; 
and  that  it  shall  oiler  the  greatest  number  of  natural 
means  of  defence. 

If  placed  upon  a  road  or  causeway  with  imprac- 
ticable flanks,  obstruct  the  passage  with  coupnres, 
;:battis,  (Sec,  as  a  cover  for  the  men. 

When  the  emplacement  is  determined  by  any 
cause  whatever,  the  natural  defences  must  be 
strengthened  by  a  redoubt  if  the  position  can  be 
turned  ;  and,  in  any  other  case,  by  a  fleche  or  lu- 
nette, loopholed  walls  and  houses  if  sufficiently 
near,  barricades,  abattis,  palisades,  &c. 

The  defence  of  a  l)ridge  depends  upon  the  locali- 
ties :  if  the  river  is  fordable,  a  redoubt  should  be 
thrown  up  at  the  most  suitable  place  for  disputing 
the  passage,  and  for  protecting  the  defenders  from 
the  enemy's  skirmishers;  if  not  fordable,  a  fleche 
or  other  work  be  thrown  up  in  front  of  the  bridge, 
houses  near  the  bridge  be  placed  in  a  state  of  de- 
fence, and  the  passage  of  the  bridge  obstructed  by 
Ijarricades.  When  a  fluche  or  other  work  is  throwi 
lip  in  front  of  the  bridge,  all  auxiliary  means  of  de 
fence  must  be  adopted  to  obstruct  the  advance  o; 
the  enemy,  as  coupurcs,  abattis,  palisades,  &:c. 

If  the  bank  next  tho  enemy  commands  the  othei-. 
(he  bridge  cannot  l)e  defended,  and  should  be  de- 
stroyed— if  of  stone,  by  blowing  up  some  of  the 
middle  arches;  if  of  wood,  bv  cuttiui?  several  i» 


MlLlTAIiV    KKCONXAISSANCKS.  \)\> 

the  spans,  or  buriiiug  it ;  isunie  tinu-s,  it  is  siif- 
ficieDt  merely  to  remove  tli(3  floorings:  of  a  wooden 
bridge.  All  mak'rials  on  the  side  of  the  enemy  for 
mending  the  bridge,  all  boats,  flats  and  other  means 
of  crossing  the  river,  slionld  be  destroyed  or  re- 
moved. 

Skirmishers  should  be  placed  aloiig  the  bank  to 
prevent  tlie  enemy's  swimmers  from  secretly  cross- 
ing the  river  to  get  the  boats  that  have  l)een  taken 
from  his  side. 

Materials  f«jr  rcl)nilding  the  bridge  shonld  l>e 
concealed  or  destroyed,  if  the  position  has  to  be 
abandoned.  A  ford  may  be  defended  in  the  same 
manner  as  a  bridge,  if  the  enemy's  side  is  open  and 
flat ;  but  if  much  broken  and  especially  if  it  com- 
mands the  other,  the  ford  should  be  destroyed  by 
deepening  it,  or  sinking  and  securing  the  trunks  of 
trees — their  branches  sharpened — in  it. 

Eveu  when  destroyed  in  this  manner,  a  ford 
should  be  watched  by  a  small  post. 

If  the  river  is  very  crooked,  forming  numerous 
sharp  elbows,  fords  may  be  formed  above  or  below 
the  one  known,  by  cutting  ditches  across  some  of 
the  narrowest  elbows.  To  prevent  this,  or  to  be 
informed  of  it,  small  patrols  siiould  scour  the  l)ank 
of  the  river  night  and  day. 

127.  The  capture  of  an  advanced  post  and  its 
sentinels  or  vedettes,  is  a  common  occurrence  in 
war,  and  one  that  frequently  has  important  results ; 
these  coups  de  main  are  entrusted  to  intelligent  and 
enterprising  officars  in  charge  of  small  detachments 
of  infantry. 

The  oflicer  charged  with  a  mission  of  this  kind, 
should  study  the  ground  to  be  passed  <wer,  learn. 


100 


MANUAL    OF 


as  well  as  possible,  the  habitual  emplaeement  of  the 
post  and  its  sentinels  or  vedettes,  and  gather  all 
possible  information  from  every  source. 

The  most  suitable  time  for  the  attack,  is  from 
midnight  to  2  o'clock  in  the  morning  in  summer, 
and  from  4  to  6  in  the  morning,  in  winter;  because 
men  are  then  the  most  inclined  to  sleep.  The  men 
should  be  armed  with  muskets,  bayonets  fixed,  and 
carry  their  cartridges  in  their  pockets,  or  in  a  hand- 
kerchief tied  around  the  waist — all  the  rest  of 
their  equipments  being  left  behind  to  avoid  the 
noise  they  make. 

Four  men  are  directed  against  each  sentinel  oi' 
vedette,  by  twos ;  they  crawl  towards  his  right  and 
left,  taking  care  to  place  themselves  under  the 
wind;  those  who  have  the  most  distance  to  go  over, 
start  first,  and  all  proceed  with  the  utmost  caution, 
avoiding  all  noise,  and  endeavoring  to  enclose  the 
sentinel  or  vedette  in  a  circle  which  goes  on  con- 
tracting until  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  escape. 

If  the  sentinel  is  aroused  by  a  slight  noise,  and 
challenges,  they  must  all  rush  upon  him  ;  if  two 
•of  them  succeed  in  getting  quite  near  to  him,  they 
leap  upon  him  without  waiting  for  the  others,  and 
endeavor  to  prevent  him  from  firing,  or  crying  out. 

The  sentinels  and  vedettes  having  been  captured 
without  giving  the  alarm,  the  post  is  easily  sur- 
prised, especially  in  winter;  for  then,  the  men  sit 
•or  lie  around  the  fire,  more  mindful  of  present  com- 
fort than  security  from  the  enemy.  The  detach- 
ment, divided  into  three  parts,  advances  slowly  and 
silently,  surrounds  the  post,  and  suddenly  bursts 
upon  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent  the  men 
from  seizing  their  arms,  or  escaping. 

All  who  resist,  at  the  capture  of  a  sentinel,  ve- 
dette or  post,  should  be  immediately  put  to  death 


MILITARV    KECON'NAISSANCES.  101 

with  the  bayonet,  to  avoid  giving  the  alarm  by 
firing. 

To  foil  the  vigihmcc  of  the  enemy,  the  detaeh- 
inent  should  frequently  halt,  listen  with  ear  to  the 
ground,  and  if  a  patrol  is  heard,  it  must  be  avoided 
if  possible  ;  for  if  attacked,  the  sentinels  or  vedettes 
vvould  hear  tlie  noise,  and  give  the  alarm. 

Ivoads,  paths,  bridges,  and  fords  should  be  a^oid- 
ed,  the  detachment  going  through  woods  and  fields ; 
there  are  few  obstacles  that  brave,  determined  and 
active  men  can  not  overcome. 

The  intaas  detailed  Jhr  xiir/H-i.-ilng  an  advanced 
post,  show  mhat  niedsurt .h  .should  he  taken  by  thejyosl 
to  avoid  it. 

A  senti/irl  or  vedctlc  sJtould  never  hesitate  to  sac- 
rijice  his  life  hy  alarminrf  the  i^ost ;  for  the  safety 
not  only  of  the  post  and  army^  hut  of  the  nation, 
nmy  depend  upon  it.  On  the  other  hand,  the  least 
resistance  or  noise  by  sentinel,  vedette  or  post,  is  a 
sufficient  justification  for  the  atiackiny  jmrty  to  put 
him  or  them  to  death.  A  brave  soldier  knows  his 
duty,  and  should  discharge  it  regardless  of  conse- 
quenres.      Thvs,  only,  can  immortality  be  gained. 

Attack  of  Post«. 

128.  To  attack  a  post  with  any  chance  of  suc- 
cess, the  environs  should  be  carefully  reconnoitred, 
rmd  all  possible  information  gained  by  spies  or  from 
the  inhabitants  ;  this  information  shoidd  relate  to 
the  number  and  kind  of  troops  that  defend  it — the 
arms  and  other  munitions — the  nature  of  the  em- 
placement and  the  form  of  the  works — the  manner  in 
which  the  duties  of  the  post  are  discharged — the 
c  haracter  and  energy  of  the  commanding  officer — 
whether  it  can  be  promptly  saccortd,  or  is  aban- 
Loned  to  itself. 


J 02  MANUAL    OF 

A  post  may  be  carried  by  surprise,  assault  or 
ruse. 

Surprises  have  been  explained. 

Attacks  by  ass*iult  should  be  kept  secret  until 
the  moment  of  execution  ;  the  commanding  officer 
alone  should  know  the  point  of  real  attack,  and  the 
moment.  His  detachment  is  divided  into  two  or 
three  parts,  one  being  charged  with  the  real  attack. 
The  others  make  false  attacks,  with  a  great  deal  of 
noise,  in  order  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  enemy 
to  them.  The  party  charged  with  the  real  attack, 
observes  the  utmost  silence,  does  not  fire,  and  is 
preceded  by  a  faw  men  with  shovels,  picks,  axes, 
crow-bars,  &;c.,  for  clearing  away  obstructions ; 
others  carry  fjxscines,  bales  of  hay,  &c.,  for  filling 
up  the  ditch,  planks  for  crossing  it,  or  ladders,  if  it 
is  deep,  for  getting  down  the  counterscarp,  and  up 
the  scarp  and  parapet. 

The  post  should  be  turned  if  possible,  and  if  the 
flanks  are  defended  only  by  natural  obstacles,  they 
ought  to  be  very  great  if  bold,  active,  strong  and 
intelligent  footmen  can  not  overcome  them. 

Military  authors,  ancient  and  modern,  differ  as  to 
ithe  hour  of  attack ;  some  advise  the  night,  because 
darkness  tends  more  to  alarm  the  assailed  than  to 
bewilder  the  assailants ;  others,  the  break  of  day, 
without  being  able  to  give  any  good  reason,  except 
that  the  garrison  of  the  post  may  neglect  its  duty ; 
Vauban,  in  open  day,  after  having  alarmed  the  gar- 
rison for  several  nights  in  succession.  But  attacks 
have  succeeded  and  fliiled  at  all  hours.  More  de- 
pends upon  the  officers  pitted  against  each,  and  the 
character  of  the  troops  they  command,  than  upon 
any  thing  else. 

As  a  false  attack  may  become  a  real  one,  should 
circumstances  favur  it,  the  parties  charged  with 
.making  false  attacks  should  receive  the  necessary 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCES.  103 

instruction  on  that  point,  and  be  provided  with  the 
means  requisite.  When  attacks  by  assault  are  well 
conceived,  kept  secret,  and  conducted  with  vigor, 
promptness  and  ensemble,  it  is  rare  that  they  fail. 

However,  it  is  very  difficult  to  foresee  all  that 
may  retard  or  prevent  the  capture  of  a  i^(/st ;  the 
means  of  defence  are  generally  as  varied  as  those 
of  attack. 

The  capture  of  a  post  by  rur.e  is  a  stroke  of  genius 
and  intelligence  on  the  part  of  him  charged  with  it. 
No  rules  elm  be  given  other  than  what  has  already 
been  said  ;  all  means  are  good,  provided  they  suc- 
ceed. "  Success  is  the  only  criterion  of  merit."  It 
is  in  vain  to  cite  ruses  already  tried,  for  one  rarely 
succeeds  twice.  However,  a  ruse  once  employed, 
may  succeed  again;  success  depending  upon  so 
many  things  that  cannot  be  detailed,  much  less  ap- 
preciated in  theory. 

Maxima  of  Mapoleon. 

■  120.  The  following  maxims  of  Napoleon  may  not 
be  inappropriate  to  this  subject. 

-'  The  duty  of  an  advanced  guard  (of  an  army) 
does  not  consist  in  advancing  or  retiring,  but  in 
mana^uvering.  It  should  be  composed  of  light  cav- 
alry supported  by  a  reserve  of  heavy,  and  by  bat- 
talions of  infantry,  with  artillery  to  support  them. 
The  advanced  guard  should  be  formed  of  choice 
troops,  and  the  generals,  offices  and  soldiers,  accord- 
ing to  the  requirements  of  their  respective  ranks, 
should  be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  peculiar 
tactics  necessary  in  this  service.  An  untrained 
company  would  only  be  a  source  of  embarrassment. 
The  first  quality  of  a  soldier  is  constancy  in  en- 
durinfj  fatigue    and    hardship.      Courage    is    onlrt 


104  MANUAL    OF 

seco7ida/\tf.     Poceity^  privation  aati   icanfj  <rrt    tht 
school  of  the  good  soldier. 

To  reconnoitre  defiles  and  fords  rapidly;  t(»  ob- 
tain guides  that  ean  be  relied  upon  ;  to  interrogate 
the  clergyman  and  ]iost-master ;  to  establish  speed- 
ily an  understanding  with  the  inhabitants;  to  send 
out  spies ;  to  seize  the  letters  in  the  mails,  trans- 
late and  make  an  abstract  of  their  contents ;  in 
short,  to  answer  all  the  inquiries  of  the  general-in- 
chief  on  his  arrival  with  the  whole  army — such  are 
the  duties  which  come  within  the  sphere  of  a  g<)od 
general  of  an  advanced  post. 

Troops  in  the  field  should  never  lay  down  their 
arms  and  capitulate.  No  people  can  l>c  safe,  if  offi- 
cers are  allowed  to  lay  down  their  arms  on  the  field 
of  battle,  by  virtue  of  an  agreement  favorable  to 
themselves  and  the  troops  under  their  command, 
but  in  opposition  to  the  safety  of  the  remainder  of 
the  army.  To  withdraw  from  peril  themselves,  and 
thus  render  the  position  of  their  comrades  more 
dangerous,  is  manifessly  an  act  of  baseness.  Such 
conduct  ought  to  be  proscribed,  pronounced  in- 
famous, and  punishable  with  death.  The  generals, 
officers  and  soldiers,  who,  in  a  battle,  have  saved 
their  lives  by  capitulating,  ought  to  be  decimated. 
lie  who  commands  the  arms  to  be  surrendered,  and 
they  who  obey  him,  are  alike  traitors  and  deserve 
capital  punishment." 

Troops  that  break  raaJcs  and  ji»j^  nhonld  (dso  hv 
decimated.  .Is"  a  mere  question  of  personal,  indi- 
v'idiCal  sofeti/j  it  is  always  better  to  stand  by  one's 
colors  than  to  alxuidon  them  iynominioiisly.  Re- 
treat, when  necessary,  should  be  conducted  in  an  or- 
derly manner,  and  in  constant  readiness  to  turn  upon 
t.\e  foe. 

"  It  w<Kili]  seem  easy  to  convince  brave  soldiers, 
il.at  death  strlkos  more  quickly  and  more  surely 


MILITARY    RECONNAISSANCjSS.  105 

men  ilying  m  disorder  than  those  who  remain  uni 
ted  to" present  a  bold  front  to  the  enemy,  or  rally 
promptly  if  they  happen  to  be  momentarily  forced. 
A  system  of  rallying  signals  should  be  adopted  in 
order  to  facilitate  the  reunion  of  troops  scattered  in 
consequence  of  a  sudden  terror,  or  an  irresistible 
charge  of  the  enemy.  At  no  time  are  order  and 
self-possession  so  important.  Discipline  leads  to 
order ;  order  produces  concert ;  concert  gives 
strength;  but  the  severest  discipline  will  some 
times  fail  to  re-assemble  broken  troops,  when  a  good 
system  of  signals  will  rally  them  promptly." 

[Jomini. 

Let  each  individual  soldier  be  imjnessed  ivith  the 
fact,  that  runninr/  not  only  disgraces  his  country, 
his  colors  and  himself,  hut  places  his  life  cowpletely 
at  the  mercij  of  the  meanest  foe. 

Gulliver  when  asleep  was  bound  by  the  Lillipu 
tians;  the  strong  man  who  gives  way  to  his  fears, 
may  be  slain  with  a  bodkin  by  a  child. 

CONCLUStOiN. 

130.  Troops  for  out-post  duty,  advanced  guards, 
escorts,  d:c.,  should  be  composed  of  picked  men, 
bold,  indefatigable,  ardent,  abounding  in  resources, 
enterprising,  and  good  shots.  They  should,  in  the 
case  of  a  large  army,  be  organized  into  a  separate 
and  distinct  Partisan  Corps  or  Division,  and  be  oc- 
cupied the  w^hole  time  in  learning  the  arts  and  de- 
vices, and  23i*actising  the  acquirements  which  dis- 
tinguish good  partisan  troops.  Recruits  for  this 
corps  should  be  obtained  as  much  as  possible  from 
hunters,  trappers  and  other  classes  learned  in  field 
and  wood  craft.  Indians,  if  capable  of  being  drilled, 
would  make  most  excellent  partisan  troops.  As 
scouts  they  would  be  in  the  highest  degree  valuable. 


i'M'}  MANUAL    OK 


A  Partisan  Corps  should  be  composed  of"  the 
proper  proportions  of  the  three  arms — Infantry, 
Cavalrjj  and  Light  Artiller}- — an  1  be  eommandfNl 
by  picked  ofiicers. 


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